A New York jeweler has been released from prison in Iran but is banned from leaving war-torn country

NEW YORK — An Iranian American jeweler from New York has been released from prison in Iran, but he is prohibited from leaving the country, according to his family and federal officials.

Kamran Hekmati was let out of Tehran’s notorious Evin prison on Sept. 5 after completing about half of a two-year sentence, his family recently wrote on a website advocating for his release.

The family said they are also “desperately afraid for his health and well-being” as he requires regular medical checkups to ensure his bladder cancer doesn’t relapse.

“The Iranian regime couldn’t care less,” the family wrote of Hekmati’s medical challenges. “Much like other wrongful detention cases in Iran, Kamran appears to be caught up in Iran’s traditional approach of detaining Americans to obtain political concessions from the US.”

Representatives for the family and the federal government didn’t say where Hekmati, 62, is currently staying in Iran or how many other Americans are currently believed detained in the country.

Shohreh Nowfar, Hekmati’s cousin in California, said Friday that the family are “excited” and hopeful his passport can be returned soon so he can leave the country, which has been at war with the U.S. and Israel for more…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/world