Iran frees dual U.S.-Iranian citizen after months under exit ban

Dena Karari’s release from Iran after months under an exit ban put a spotlight on the risks facing Iranian Americans who travel there, where a seized passport and opaque security accusations can leave a dual national stuck for months with little recourse. By July 15, 2026, Karari had been freed, was outside Iran, and was traveling back to the United States.

Karari, a dual Iranian-U.S. citizen, had her passport seized in December 2024 and was barred from leaving the country as she faced allegations of espionage. Her lawyer, Jared Genser, said she was held on “bogus charges” of collaboration with a hostile state and espionage. She was never formally imprisoned, but the exit ban kept her trapped in Iran for nearly two years.

President Donald Trump announced that Iran had allowed an American citizen to leave the country, calling the move a “gesture of goodwill” after heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran. Genser said Karari had been trapped in Iran since December 2024 and credited Trump’s efforts for her release.

Genser identified Karari as a U.S.-Iranian citizen who ran the Children of Mehr Foundation. Her case fits a pattern long documented by human rights advocates, who say Tehran has detained dual nationals and foreign citizens on security-related accusations and used them as leverage in diplomatic disputes. The use of exit bans and broad espionage claims can leave detainees without the normal protections of a criminal case, while their families and lawyers struggle to force any public review of the allegations.

Karari’s release came as tensions between Washington and Tehran remained elevated, adding to scrutiny of how Iran handles foreign passport holders and dual nationals. Her departure after months under restriction now stands as the latest example of how quickly a travel decision can become a political hostage-taking case once Iranian authorities seize a passport and invoke national security.