Three american hikers who were arrested in iran this summer after straying across its border with iraq have been accused of spying, an iranian state news agency reported on monday. Central intelligence agency cia intervention in the internal affairs of the islamic republic of iran, from the 1953 mosaddeq coup to present. So if iran had captured him, and knew his cia ties, why the secrecy. It was nearly five years ago that we first heard news that three young american hikers had been imprisoned by iran, accused of spying. Reports say the hikers accidentally crossed into iran while hiking between halabja and. As early as 2009, according to wikileaks, oman offered to arrange secret talks between the us and iran, which hadnt had diplomatic relations for 30 years. Iranianamerican mirzaei hekmati was sentenced to death in iran today after being accused of spying for the us a charge leveled against americans in iran many times before. In southwestern iran, roughly 650 km 400 mi south of the capital city of tehran, and some 70 km 40 mi northeast of shiraz, a cultivated plain gives way to the zagros mountains. How the cia failed a spy who went missing in iran the.
Detained american hiker freed in iran this just in cnn. The cia collaborated with the last shah, mohammad reza pahlavi, to overthrow prime minister mohammed mossadeq and install general fazlollah zahedi. At the transition between flat land and rugged mountain, at the base of kuhirahmat, or mountain of mercy, lies persepolis. Heres the latest on the fate of shane bauer and josh fattal, from cnn. Sarah shourd, one of three american hikers detained for more than a year in iran, has been released from prison, staterun press tv reported tuesday. American captured in iran 7 years ago was a cia spy. On the recommendations of locals, they hiked to see a popular local iraqi tourist destination near. An american man who disappeared in iran more than six years ago had been working for the cia in what u. But the trial will take place in iran, which gives home field advantage to the prosecution. He thought hed come back with information for the cia and his other clients on iran and russian mobsters. Missing american in iran was on unapproved cia mission. The report, which reads like a detective novel, shows how u. Asgari, a top commander of irans shadowy revolutionary guards force in lebanon, remains in the united states, probably living under a cia agentprotection program, according to the book s.
Robert levinson, an american who was kidnapped in iran nearly seven years ago, was working for the cia on an offthebooks intelligence operation when he. Three american hikers arrested in iran wikinews, the. A text message from irans culture ministry thursday said one of the. The freed american hikers speak on their captivity in iran. Two american hikers held for years in an iranian prison came home sunday, declaring that they were detained because of their nationality, not because.
The iranian government directly owns and operates hundreds of stateowned enterprises and indirectly controls many companies affiliated with the countrys security forces. When the month of ramadan began, i received a letter from laura fattal, the mother of one of the three young american hikers detained in iran. Five books on the legacy of the 1953 coup in iran on anniversary of mossadeghs downfall, neither iranian, american nor british authors can agree on. In all the shahs men, stephen kinzer of the new york times suggests that the explanation may lie next door in iran, where the cia carried out its first successful regimechange operation over half a century ago. Darioush bayandor is currently an iran analyst and historian living in switzerland. What media coverage omits about us hikers released by iran. American missing in iran was cia spy on unapproved mission. Three detained american hikers saw their mothers in tehran for the first time since their arrest 10 months ago. That question became even more confusing in 2009, when three u. Hikers held in iran describe captivity the new york. American missing in iran since 2007 was working for the cia. State media cited a military official who identified the aircraft as an rq170 sentinel and the country has promised an aggressive response to the alleged incident. Thus began a nightmarish odyssey as the three americans were thrown into evin prison in tehran, accused of crossing the border to spy on iran. America might seek the return of three american hikers iran has.
American hikers josh fattal and shane bauer were released from an iranian prison wednesday and made their way to oman. Five books on the legacy of the 1953 coup in iran world. Three american hikers arrested in iran, allegedly cia. Irans economy is marked by statist policies, inefficiencies, and reliance on oil and gas exports, but iran also possesses significant agricultural, industrial, and service sectors. It was widely believed that the hikers were being used as a bargaining chip by an iranian government eager to engage the u. The target was not an oppressive soviet puppet but a democratically elected government whose populist ideology and nationalist fervor. This morning, those three hikers long since freed share the inside story of their captivity with tracy smith. Two years in prison is too long, released hiker says. You know, of course, your father was a cia agent, she said. The trial of american hikers charged with espionage in iran will resume may. This book is a must for us foreign policy and iran buffs.
But it was the detention of the american hikers by iran that brought oman into a mediating role between the two. Bauer and fattal maintained their innocence throughout their 26 months in captivity. American hikers ordeal in iran the three americans, shane bauer, sarah shourd, and josh fattal, were hiking in iraq in july 2009 when they were arrested for crossing into iranian. On july 31, 2009, three americans, joshua fattal, sarah shourd and shane bauer were taken into custody by iranian border guards for crossing into iran while hiking near the iranian border in iraqi kurdistan. Born iranian, the author held diplomatic posts in new york and tehran and was a lecturer on international law, diplomacy and international institutions in tehran university, the national university of tehran as well as in the diplomatic school of the foreign ministry prior to the islamic revolution. The 1953 coup and the origins of the usiran divide christopher j. Two american hikers imprisoned for more than two years by iran on extremely dubious espionage charges and in highly oppressive conditions, joshua fattal and shane bauer, were released last week and spoke yesterday in manhattan about their ordeal. Adler berriman barry seal july 16, 1939 february 19, 1986 was a trans world. The author meticulously researched it for years, and it is a welcome correction to more sensationalist books written in recent years about the depth of us involvement in the 1953 downfall of prime minister mossadegh. Iran says it will release one of three american hikers who were arrested and detained more than a year ago.
Text by alyson sheppard three american hikers are being held in iran for allegedly crossing the border in from iraq, which is illegal without government permission. Published by american free press, cia in iran reveals in shocking detail a oncetopsecret report by a cia field agent working in iran. Washington an american who vanished nearly seven years ago in iran was working for the cia on an unapproved intelligencegathering mission that. He followed the iranian nuclear issue for the cia, the. Published by american free press the cia in iran reveals in shocking detail a oncetopsecret report by a cia field agent working in iran. These left wing hikers are basically the typical recruits that the cia looks for. My ten year journey from therapist to cia courier and sanctioned kills a true story by j. Three american hikers were arrested on friday, july 31 in iran after they crossed into iranian territory.
A frustrating, often complicated read, but in light of recent events in iran, i think any book offering some insight into the country, its politics, and even mysteries like this is worth a look. In late 20, americans were shocked to learn that a former fbi agent turned private investigator who disappeared in iran in 2007 was there on a mission for the cia. The world factbook provides information on the history, people and society, government, economy, energy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities. Freed american hikers josh fattal and shane bauer bounded down the steps of the aircraft that took them from iran to oman late wednesday. You know, of course, your father was a cia agent whyy. As a cia contractor, levinson would have been a valuable chip to bargain with on the world stage. Irans nuclear programme the disappearing scientist.
The ongoing mystery of a missing american in iran whats. News from iran on the american hikers, and the nukes. Freed american hikers josh fattal and shane bauer bounded. Iran could portray 3 american hikers as spies abc news. Iran took us as hostages two us hikers accused iran sunday of using them as hostages in its power struggle with the west and described hearing. Shane bauer l, sarah shourd c and josh fattal r speak about their experiences being imprisoned in iran, during an occupy the prisons protest at san quentin prison in san quentin, california, in this february 20, 2012 file photo. At the time of their detention by iranian troops, the three americans were on vacation from their jobs in the region in a relatively stable, autonomous region of iraq known as iraqi kurdistan. Mahmoud ahmadinejad says he cant judge whether the hikers are innocent.
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