Originally published on the CGS blog on September 3, 2007.
On Sunday, three months after the Iranian-American scholar Haleh Esfandiari was accused of spying, detained and imprisoned by Iranian officials, she was released and leaving Iran. This is wonderful news, but it should also serve as a reminder that Kian Tajbakhsh, a scholar with ties to the Open Society Institute, is still being held captive.
Steve Clemons and Barnett Rubin have posted thoughtful responses to the circumstances around Ms. Esfandiari’s detention and release, as well as the implications of the incident on international affairs in general and U.S.-Iran(-China) relations in particular. Both are well worth a read.
It’s certainly going to be interesting to see how this story continues to unfold as more information becomes available upon Ms. Esfandiari’s return to the United States. Stay tuned.
