U.S. citizen departs Iran after being barred from leaving for over a year
Dena Karari, a U.S.-Iran dual citizen, has departed Iran after being held under an exit ban for over a year. While never formally charged, she was prevented from leaving the country until recent diplomatic efforts secured her release.
Why it matters
The release highlights ongoing diplomatic tensions and the complex process of securing the freedom of Americans detained or restricted by the Iranian government.
A U.S.-Iran dual citizen who was trapped in Iran on allegations of espionage and collaborating with a hostile state has departed the country, CBS News learned Wednesday. The woman, Dena Karari, had been unable to leave Iran since December 2024 due to "bogus charges," her attorney, Jared Genser, wrote on social media. Genser announced late Wednesday that Karari is now free, writing that she is "safe and traveling back to the United States."Karari was under an exit ban, which means that Iranian authorities refused to let her leave, but did not have her imprisoned.She was never formally charged by Iran. Although her coercive exit ban expired in April, Iran did not allow her to exit at the time. She suffered a heart attack on July 8, two sources told CBS News. Two sources said Karari's name was on a list of Americans that the U.S.
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