Families and loved ones of Americans detained in Iran say their relatives are facing new dangers amid the escalating war, including the risk of becoming unintended casualties of Israeli and American airstrikes or victims of the Iranian repressive regime's retaliation. Siyamak Namazi, an Iranian-American citizen who was detained for about eight years before being released in a deal with the US in 2023, said: 'For Americans detained in Iran, this moment is very frightening.' He added: 'What these families are facing now is days of war with no clear end in sight.'The US government has not confirmed the exact number of Americans detained in Iran, but the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, an organization concerned with hostages, said there are six and they face 'unprecedented danger' due to the military conflict.Among the known detainees is a former journalist who worked in Washington, and an Iranian-American Jewish citizen from New York who traveled to Iran last year for family reasons and was not allowed to return to the US.At least two people are being held in Evin prison, the notorious prison where Namazi was previously detained, according to representatives of these individuals. The prison, which is under strict security measures, houses many political prisoners in Iran and has been a target for Israeli airstrikes in the past.Kamran Ghahmati, 61, from Long Island, who is detained in Evin prison, spoke with his wife last Monday, just a few days after the war began, to reassure her that he was safe, his cousin Shohreh Nowrari said. She added that the family is concerned that his condition could deteriorate rapidly because he has not received his usual treatment for bladder cancer in the months since his detention.Nowrari, who lives in Los Angeles, said: 'This is a murky time in a country shrouded in ambiguity.'Ryan Fahy, the lawyer of Reza Valizadeh, an Iranian-American journalist also detained in Evin, spoke about the sensitivity of the current moment in his regular negotiations with White House and US State Department officials.Families of other European detainees in the prison told European media that bombs are falling near the prison, causing windows to shatter.Fahy said: 'It is my duty to inform the US administration that there are innocent American citizens inside the prison.' He added: 'They must be more careful in carrying out military operations to avoid any unintended casualties.'White House and State Department officials refused to answer specific questions about the detainees' situation for fear of their safety and well-being, but they demanded that Iran release them immediately.
