In a Wednesday interview with Al-Alam news network, Zarif said the arrest of Hashemi is a clear violation of freedom of speech, urging the Americans to end this “political game” right away.
"The arrest is a political and unacceptable move by the US so Americans should put an end to this political play immediately," Zarif noted.
Hashemi, a US citizen born as Melanie Franklin, was detained upon arrival at St. Louis Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri, on Sunday, but wasn't allowed to contact her family until late Tuesday.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Bahram Ghasemi has also described the US as a ‘dangerous’ country for journalists.
This arrest is “a blatant violation of human rights” and proves that Washington “is not committed to any of the principles that it uses as pretexts to attack its critics,” he added.
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