Jul 24, 2014

Friends and colleagues of the Washington Post’s Iran correspondent flooded Twitter Thursday, July 24, to express shock and concern at reports that he, his wife and two other American journalists have apparently been detained in Iran.

The Washington Post reported Thursday that it had received credible reports that its Iran correspondent Jason Rezaian, his wife Yaganeh Salehi, a correspondent for the National newspaper, and two unidentified photojournalists were detained in Iran July 22.

Rezaian, the Washington Post’s correspondent in Iran since 2012, is a US-Iranian citizen from the San Francisco Bay area. His wife, Salehi, is an Iranian citizen who has reportedly applied for US permanent residency. The two unidentified photojournalists thought detained with them are also reported to be US citizens.

Al-Monitor’s correspondent was just with Rezaian covering nuclear negotiations between Iran and the six world powers in Vienna last week.

Al-Monitor’s correspondent last saw Rezaian July 19 in the lobby cafe at the Vienna Marriott, where many journalists covering the talks and diplomats involved in them stay. He said he was preparing to catch a plane back to Iran that evening.