Iran’s high stakes game of hostage diplomacy

On private diplomacy tables, Iran plays by murky rules. Since 2015, the Iranian regime has detained at least 30 individuals with foreign ties to use as leverage. Testimonies by victims and their families reveal what really happens behind closed doors and prison bars. Nizar Zakka, Ana Diamond and Xiyue Wang tell how they were suddenly detained in Iran and how they became bargaining chips in a game they didn’t know they were playing. Today they are able to share what happened to them, whereas 14 others unjustly remain behind bars.