US justice on Friday condemned Tehran to pay $ 180 million to Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, who spent a year and a half in Iranian jails. A federal court in Washington made this largely symbolic decision for "dissuasive" purposes.
Accused of "spying"
The US-Iranian journalist, stationed in Tehran, was arrested with his wife on July 22, 2014, when Iran had agreed to revive international negotiations on its nuclear program, suspected of hiding a military component. His wife had been released after two months in detention. Accused of "espionage" for the United States, he spent 544 days in Evin prison, in northern Tehran, where he suffered ill-treatment, was deprived of sleep and threatened to be beheaded. .
With three other American prisoners, he was finally exchanged for seven Iranians pursued in the United States. His release came on January 16, 2016, the first day of the so-called "Vienna Agreement" supposed to guarantee the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program, which has since been denounced by Donald Trump.
"Means of pressure"
"Iran has arrested and detained Jason to increase his leverage in the ongoing negotiations with the United States," Judge Richard Leon said in his ruling. "Taking a man hostage and torturing him to secure an advantage in negotiations is shameful, deserves punishment" and "deter" Iran from such behavior, he added, setting $ 180 million in compensation to be paid to the journalist, as well as to his mother and brother, who had joined the complaint.
Iran, which does not recognize dual nationality, regularly stops binationals. The Islamic Republic denies using it as a means of pressure in the diplomatic game, but recognizes that it can be exchanged.