Washington DC: U.S. President Donald Trump has welcomed the release of an American citizen held in Iran, calling the development a “gesture of goodwill,” even as intense military clashes continue to rage for a fifth consecutive night across the Middle East. In a post published on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump announced that the American national—who had been “wrongfully detained” under the previous Biden administration in 2024—had finally been allowed to leave Iranian territory. Trump stated that she is now out of the country safely and in good health, expressing formal appreciation to Tehran for the diplomatic concession.
International human rights attorney Jared Genser identified the released citizen as his client, Dena Karari, a 53-year-old dual U.S.-Iranian national residing in California. Taking to social media platform X, Genser confirmed that Karari was safe and travelling back to the United States, offering direct praise to Trump for his relentless administration efforts in securing her freedom. Iranian state media and government officials have so far neither confirmed nor denied her departure. Karari, who operates a non-profit organization supporting disadvantaged youth, originally had her passport seized by intelligence officials while visiting relatives in the southwestern city of Shiraz in December 2024. While she was never formally charged or placed in physical prison, she was subjected to a strict exit ban and repeated interrogations by local authorities on suspicion of espionage. Sources revealed that she recently suffered a severe heart attack on July 8 while trapped under the travel ban.
The breakthrough comes at a highly volatile moment, unfolding alongside heavy U.S. military strikes across Iran intended to forcibly reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz shipping corridor. These operations have proceeded despite aggressive rhetoric from the U.S. administration threatening targeted strikes on Iran’s core power plants, bridges, and energy distribution infrastructure. U.S. defense officials stated that ongoing air campaigns are actively focusing on degrading Iranian military radar and coastal missile assets to clear the way for more complex naval maneuvers. In response, Tehran has launched retaliatory strikes aimed directly at U.S. military installations stationed in Kuwait and Jordan, leaving a recent peace agreement between the nations in tatters.
