Peters Statement on Release of Amir Hekmati

DETROIT, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters released the following statement on Iran’s release of Amir Hekmati, a former U.S. Marine from Flint, Michigan who has been held captive by the Iranian government since 2011. Iran had originally accused Amir Hekmati of espionage and sentenced him to death, but the Iranian Supreme Court threw out that charge and sentenced him to 10 years in prison instead.

“I join the Hekmati family, the State of Michigan and the entire country in celebrating the release of Amir Hekmati. The imprisonment of Amir and the other U.S. citizens held captive by Iran was unjust. Though we welcome all our American prisoners home, the U.S. must work in a coordinated fashion to vigorously enforce the terms of the nuclear deal and hold Iran accountable for their military provocations and terrorist activity that breeds instability and violence in the Middle East.”

U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow cosponsored a resolution in the U.S. Senate calling on Iran to release all the U.S. hostages being held in Iran, including Amir Hekmati.

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