The lawyer says the release of the American hostages should be part of the Iran negotiations

The issue of US hostages wrongfully imprisoned in Iran could be resolved during talks between Tehran and Washington as both sides navigate efforts to end the conflict, one expert said.

Ryan Fayhee, the lawyer of Abdolreza “Reza” Valizadeh, 49, who has been imprisoned by Iran for more than a year, stressed the urgency of a diplomatic solution to free his client as pressure on Iran remains high during the war against the United States and Israel.

“It’s my job as Reza’s lawyer to make sure it doesn’t get lost,” Fayhee told Fox News Digital. “Although I have a lot of confidence that this is part of the negotiations, although the management has not said so publicly… it is legally my duty to ensure that you remain part of those negotiations. And equally – and this is a big challenge, because obviously, I do not have full control – it is my duty to ensure that Reza is safe and alive to allow those negotiations to replace him to be safe.”

Iran currently holds six Americans, although only two have been publicly identified: Valizadeh and 61-year-old Kamran Hekmati. Both hold dual Iranian-American citizenship and have been held in Iran’s notorious Evin prison.

WHY TRUMP, IRAN SEE LIGHT YEARS FROM DIVING WITH ANY AMOUNT TO END THE WAR

A few days ago, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued warnings on social media that residents living near the prison should leave the area as the airstrikes continued.

“Although Reza and Kamran Hekmati are both American citizens, Iranians do not recognize their American citizenship,” Fayhee said. “For that reason, they don’t get diplomatic services. And even if they did, we don’t have an embassy there.”

In February, the State Department designated Iran as a “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention” for arbitrarily detaining Americans to use as bargaining chips for future negotiations.

“For decades, Iran has continued to imprison innocent Americans, as well as foreign nationals, to use as political leverage against other states,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at the time. “This disgusting practice must end.”

IRAN THREATS TO END Ceasefire over HEZBOLLAH HEZBOLLAH IN TRUCE DEAL

The designation adds additional layers of isolation tools, such as fines and travel restrictions, Fayhee noted.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department and the White House, which have called on Iran to release all American detainees.

“President Trump has made it clear that he wants every wrongfully imprisoned American to be returned home safe and sound, and that there will be dire consequences for governments that treat Americans as political members,” a White House spokesperson told the Associated Press.

VANCE WARNS IRAN WILL ‘FIND’ TRUMP ‘NOT THE RIGHT ONE’ IF DEFENDANT DEAL FALLS UP

Islamabad will host peace talks between Iran and the US on April 10. (Farooq NAEEM / AFP via Getty Images)

A second round of talks between Tehran and Washington stands as the clearest way to resolve the seven-week war is still uncertain. On Monday, President Donald Trump said he was under no pressure to make a deal with Iran, “although, everything will happen, very quickly!” wrote on Truth Social.

Valizadeh was arrested in September 2024 while visiting his family and sentenced after being convicted of working with a “hostile government.” As a journalist, he previously reported on the 2009 pro-democracy protests in Iran and the regime’s heavy-handed response. As a result, he was exiled and began working for Radio Farda, the Iranian branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty which is funded by the US government.

Getting a deal to release any Americans held in Iran would be difficult given Tehran’s propensity for manipulation, Roger Carstens, the former US Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, told Fox News earlier.

“The irony is that the Russians, the Chinese, the Taliban, and the Venezuelans — when you start going into hostage negotiations, they tell the truth, and they stick to what they promise. You can make a handshake deal with the Taliban, and they’ll follow through,” Carstens said. “The Iranians? Of course not.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM

However, Fayhee, who once worked as a lawyer for Paul Rusesabagina – the hotel owner featured in the 2004 film “Hotel Rwanda” – said he hoped for Valizadeh’s release. He noted that Iran is increasingly isolated following its missile attacks on its Arab neighbors and the opposition it faces from the West.

“It’s the easiest problem on the table to solve, and both sides have to accept that,” Fayhee said. “Both sides should focus on it because it is clear that they are trying to build a relationship of trust in these negotiations, and this is a sure way to do that.”

“The easiest thing for Iran to do is to show that it is truly committed to getting out of this country to release these Americans,” he added. “Low hanging fruit.”