In a significant development, US President Donald Trump announced that Dena Karari, a dual citizen of the United States and Iran, has been released by Iranian authorities. Karari, who had been held in Iran since December 2024, is now reportedly safe and in good condition after leaving the country.
President Trump shared the news on Truth Social, describing Karari’s release as a gesture of goodwill by Iran. His administration has been credited with playing a crucial role in securing her freedom. Confirming her release, Karari’s lawyer, Jared Genser, stated that she is currently on her way back to the United States.
Karari’s ordeal began when she traveled to Iran in 2024 to visit family. However, she was subsequently barred from leaving the country. The situation escalated in the wake of US and Israeli strikes on Iran in 2025, when Iranian authorities charged her with espionage.
This development occurs against a backdrop of increasingly strained relations between Washington and Tehran. Karari’s release is seen by some as a rare conciliatory gesture amid the heightened tensions that have characterized recent interactions between the two nations.