YONKERS – Siamak Namazi, the longest held of the American prisoners launched by Iran in a prisoner alternate, is on his approach to Qatar after which to Washington, D.C., his uncle mentioned Monday.
“We’ve got been ready for this for therefore lengthy,” mentioned Hushang Namazi, who lives in Yonkers. “I can not consider it is lastly occurred as a result of, as you recognize, he was the longest American hostage held in Iran, practically 8 years, since 2015. Lastly, lastly, in any case these years.”
Siamak Namazi, 52, lived in Westchester for a time and was a 1989 graduate of White Plains Excessive Faculty.
Namazi, together with Emad Sharghi, Morad Tahbaz and two different unidentified People, had been jailed by Iran on spying costs. Iran agreed to release them from prison whereas a $6 billion switch of frozen Iranian oil funds was organized. The deal additionally included the dismissing of U.S. costs towards 5 Iranians accused of skirting American sanctions.
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How will the alternate for Namazi work?
His uncle mentioned Namazi was on a morning flight from Tehran to Qatar, the place he and 4 different People will probably be exchanged for 5 Iranians who’ve been held by the U.S., in a ceremony more likely to be paying homage to Chilly Battle prisoner exchanges between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.
Namazi’s mom, Effie, had been in Tehran in latest weeks as the discharge was labored out. She is on the flight with Namazi, her brother-in-law mentioned.
“They’re flying to Qatar for the formal prisoner alternate after which they are going to fly to Washington,” Hushang Namazi mentioned Monday morning. “That is the place Siamak’s brother, Babak, and my brother, Baquer, will probably be ready to see their brother and spouse and son.”
Uncle: Namazi’s father was held in identical jail, then launched
The daddy-and-son reunion in Washington is more likely to be emotional. When Baquer Namazi went to Iran years in the past to hunt his son’s launch, he was arrested and was held in the identical Iranian jail, his brother mentioned.
“My brother was dwelling in Dubai,” Hushang Namazi defined. “The Iranian jail authorities that arrested Siamak had held him for a while. They knowledgeable my brother, ‘You’ll be able to come to Tehran to go to him.’ When he went to Tehran, on the airport, they arrested him and stored him there for 2 years.”
“For 2 years they have been held in the identical jail, however they weren’t allowed to see one another,” he mentioned.
The elder Namazi was launched on humanitarian grounds, resulting from well being considerations, his brother mentioned.
“After he was launched from Iran, he went to London to be with my sister for a short while. He got here and stayed with me in Yonkers for 2 months. Then he went to Toronto to stick with my older brother and sister. Then yesterday, he flew to Washington figuring out the discharge goes to happen.”
Hushang Namazi mentioned it is unlikely his nephew will probably be coming to Westchester after his return to the U.S.
“They will be in Washington for 2 weeks, no less than,” he mentioned. “They’ve time to plan what they will do subsequent.”
Attain Peter D. Kramer at [email protected].
This text initially appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal Information: American hostage freed by Iran has roots in NY, Westchester County