Iran Frees American Dena Karari After 18 Months in a Rare Goodwill Gesture Amid the War

Iran has released Dena Karari, a 53-year-old Iranian-American woman who had been trapped in the country for a year and a half, in a rare gesture of goodwill even as the United States and Iran trade daily blows in a widening war. President Trump announced the release late Wednesday on Truth Social, writing that Karari was "now safely outside of Iran, and in good condition."

Karari, a California resident, had been unable to leave Iran since December 2024. According to her attorney, Jared Genser, she was never formally charged or imprisoned but was placed under an exit ban after being accused of espionage — allegations tied to her work with an American nonprofit that helps impoverished children. Genser has called the accusations baseless.

Her plight had grown urgent. Karari suffered a heart attack on July 8, two sources told CBS News, raising fears about her health as she remained stranded. "She is now safe and traveling back to the United States," Genser said in a statement, crediting what he described as the "relentless and extraordinary efforts" of the Trump administration for securing her departure.

The release came as the U.S. and Iran entered the sixth straight day of open conflict over control of the Strait of Hormuz, with American forces striking targets around Tehran and Iran launching missiles and drones at U.S. allies in the region. Trump framed Karari's release as "a gesture of Goodwill by Iran," and said her case dated to the presidency of Joe Biden, whom he blamed for her detention.

Karari's name had appeared on a State Department list handed to Special Envoy Steve Witkoff for release negotiations, according to people familiar with the talks. Other Americans remain held or barred from leaving Iran, including journalists Kamran Hekmati and Reza Valizadeh, both of whom the U.S. government has formally designated as wrongfully detained. Advocates said they hoped Karari's release could open a path for the others, though the escalating military confrontation clouds any prospect of broader diplomacy.

For Karari's family, the news brought relief after months of fear. She was en route back to the United States on Thursday, her lawyer said, and expected to receive medical care upon her arrival. Genser, who has represented several Americans held abroad, said he would keep pressing for the release of the others still trapped in Iran, and urged the administration not to let the war foreclose the narrow channel of communication that made Karari's departure possible.