US President Donald Trump has welcomed Iran’s release of an American citizen previously barred from leaving the country. He described the move as a gesture of goodwill by Tehran.
Trump announced the development on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday. He said the woman had been wrongfully detained since December 2024 and was now safely outside Iran.
The president added that the United States appreciated Iran’s decision. However, he did not provide additional details about the circumstances surrounding her release.
Attorney Identifies Released American
Human rights attorney Jared Genser identified the woman as Dena Karari. According to Genser, she had been unable to leave Iran after authorities confiscated her American and Iranian passports.
He said Karari had travelled to Iran to visit family before facing repeated interrogations. Additionally, she was reportedly subjected to what he described as a coercive exit ban.
Genser explained that Karari operated the Children of Mehr Foundation, a nonprofit supporting underprivileged children in Iran. He said the organisation worked with private donor funding under an OFAC licence.
According to her lawyer, the travel restrictions expired in April, allowing her to recover her passports. She later crossed the border and departed Iran.
Release Comes Amid Regional Tensions
The announcement comes as tensions remain high between the United States and Iran. Both countries have recently exchanged military strikes following disputes involving the Strait of Hormuz.
Genser praised the Trump administration for supporting efforts to secure Karari’s release. He said officials pursued multiple diplomatic channels to resolve the case.
According to CNN, the White House did not provide further information about the negotiations. Nevertheless, the release has been viewed as a positive diplomatic development despite ongoing regional hostilities.
The case had not been publicly disclosed before Wednesday. Its resolution comes amid continued efforts to manage broader US-Iran tensions.
