    [House Hearing, 116 Congress]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                    THE STATUS OF AMERICAN HOSTAGES IN IRAN

    =======================================================================

                                    HEARING

                                   BEFORE THE

                                SUBCOMMITTEE ON
           THE MIDDLE EAST, NORTH AFRICA, AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

                                     OF THE

                          COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                         ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 FIRST SESSION

                                   __________

                                 MARCH 7, 2019

                                   __________

                               Serial No. 116-12

                                   __________

            Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

    [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

           Available:  http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/, http://
                                docs.house.gov,
                           or http://www.govinfo.gov

                                   __________

                        U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
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                          COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

                       ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York, Chairman

     BRAD SHERMAN, California             MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas, Ranking
    GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York               Member
    ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey		     CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey
    GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia         STEVE CHABOT, Ohio
    THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida	     JOE WILSON, South Carolina
    KAREN BASS, California		     SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania
    WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts	     TED S. YOHO, Florida
    DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island	     ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois
    AMI BERA, California		     LEE ZELDIN, New York
    JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas		     JIM SENSENBRENNER, Wisconsin
    DINA TITUS, Nevada		     ANN WAGNER, Missouri
    ADRIANO ESPAILLAT, New York          BRIAN MAST, Florida
    TED LIEU, California		     FRANCIS ROONEY, Florida
    SUSAN WILD, Pennsylvania	     BRIAN FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania
    DEAN PHILLPS, Minnesota	             JOHN CURTIS, Utah
    ILHAN OMAR, Minnesota		     KEN BUCK, Colorado
    COLIN ALLRED, Texas		     RON WRIGHT, Texas
    ANDY LEVIN, Michigan		     GUY RESCHENTHALER, Pennsylvania
    ABIGAIL SPANBERGER, Virginia	     TIM BURCHETT, Tennessee
    CHRISSY HOULAHAN, Pennsylvania       GREG PENCE, Indiana
    TOM MALINOWSKI, New Jersey	     STEVE WATKINS, Kansas
    DAVID TRONE, Maryland		     MIKE GUEST, Mississippi
    JIM COSTA, California
    JUAN VARGAS, California
    VICENTE GONZALEZ, Texas

                         Jason Steinbaum, Staff Director

                   Brendon Shields, Republican Staff Director
                                     ------

       SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE MIDDLE EAST, NORTH AFRICA, AND INTERNATIONAL
                                   TERRORISM

                           THEODORE DEUTCH, Chairman

    GERALD CONNOLLY, Virginia            JOE WILSON, South Carolina,
    DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island            Ranking Member
    TED LIEU, California                 STEVE CHABOT, Ohio
    COLIN ALLRED, Texas                  ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois
    TOM MALINOWSKI, New Jersey           LEE ZELDIN, New York
    DAVID TRONE, Maryland                BRIAN MAST, Florida
    BRAD SHERMAN, California             BRIAN FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania
    WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts       GUY RESCHENTHALER, Pennsylvania
    JUAN VARGAS, California              STEVE WATKINS, Kansas

                          Casey Kustin, Staff Director

                               C O N T E N T S

                                  ----------
                                                                       Page

                                   WITNESSES

    Levinson, Christine, wife of Robert Levinson.....................     7
    Namazi, Babak, brother of Siamak Namazi and son of Baquer Namazi.    13
    Zakka, Omar, son of Nizar Zakka..................................    18

                                    APPENDIX

    Hearing Notice...................................................    45
    Hearing Minutes..................................................    46
    Hearing Attendance...............................................    47

                 ADDITIONAL MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD

    Robert Levinson Fact Sheet.......................................    48
    Letter from Representative Jayapal...............................    49
    Letter from Governor Inslee......................................    50
    Questions for the record submitted from Representative Watkins...    52

                    THE STATUS OF AMERICAN HOSTAGES IN IRAN

                                 MARCH 7, 2019

                          House of Representatives,
    Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and
                                International Terrorism
                          Committee on Foreign Affairs,
                                                         Washington, DC

        The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 1:33 p.m., in
    Room 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Theodore E.
    Deutch (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
        Mr. Deutch. This hearing will come to order. I start by
    asking unanimous consent that the gentleman from Florida, Mr.
    Waltz, be allowed to sit on the dais and participate in today's
    hearing. Without objection, so ordered.
        Welcome, nice to have you with us.
        This hearing, entitled ``The Status of American Hostages in
    Iran," will allow members of the Levinson, Namazi, and Zakka
    families to share information about their loved ones who remain
    imprisoned or missing in Iran. The hearing will also help
    subcommittee members examine how Congress can both hold Iran
    accountable for its actions and advance efforts to bring
    detained American citizens and legal residents home.
        Without objection, all members may have 5 days to submit
    statements, questions, and extraneous materials for the record
    subject to the length limitations in the rules. I will offer an
    opening statement and then turn it over to the ranking member,
    Mr. Wilson, for his opening statement.
        I want to welcome our witnesses. I am heartbroken to see
    you back at this table. I thank each of you for your courage
    and for your advocacy. It is my goal to have this be the last
    hearing like this that we do together. I want to acknowledge
    all the families, the family members that are here today in the
    audience and if you would, I would ask you to stand.
        Please know that we see you and we support you and we thank
    you for being here. You may be seated, thanks.
        I thank the ranking member for his partnership. In
    conjunction with today's hearing, Ranking Member Wilson and I
    are introducing a number of related legislative efforts. We
    would welcome the support of all members of the subcommittee.
        Saturday will mark the 12th anniversary of the
    disappearance of Robert Levinson from Iran's Kish Island. Bob
    was last seen at his hotel on March 9th, 2007. Bob is a
    patriot. Bob devoted 30 years to serving his country, first
    with the DEA and then a quarter century with the FBI. Bob is a
    husband of 40 years. He is a father of seven. He is a
    grandfather of six, five of whom he has never met.
        Bob is my constituent and a part of our community back in
    Coral Springs, Florida. Bob is not at home enjoying his
    retirement and his family because of Iran. In the days after
    Bob disappeared, Iranian State TV reported he was in government
    custody, yet the story soon changed. To this day, Iran's
    leaders refuse to acknowledge it is responsible for Bob's
    disappearance.
        The regime has never fulfilled its repeated promises of
    assistance on locating and returning Bob. To echo my former
    Florida colleague, Senator Bill Nelson, who fought on behalf of
    the Levinson family for a decade, ``If Iran does not have Bob,
    they know who does and where to find him.'' Bob Levinson is the
    longest-held American hostage. Today, Mr. Wilson and I
    introduce the Bob Levinson Hostage-Taking Accountability Act
    that strengthens U.S. Government policy on hostage taking and
    authorizes sanctions on those who engage in hostage taking.
        Today, we are joined by Bob's wife, Christine, and three of
    his seven children, Sarah, Dan, and Doug. We thank them and
    their four siblings, Susan, Stephanie, Samantha, and David for
    their strength and for their advocacy. I have gotten to know
    the Levinsons over the past 9 years I have been in Congress.
    They are remarkable. I am grateful to know them and I wish that
    I did not have to know them under these circumstances.
        Doug and Dan have each sat at this witness table where
    their mother sits today. We cannot and we must not convene
    another hearing where we sit across from a member of this
    family. Iran's despicable practice of holding Americans and
    other foreign nationals hostage should not be tolerated by any
    responsible nation.
        Today we will hear from Babak Namazi about the horrific
    conditions his brother and father have faced since they were
    imprisoned in 2015 and 1916, respectively. Siamak detained
    first followed by his father Baquer, a former United Nations
    official, is in his 80's. Baquer's health has dramatically
    deteriorated since his detention. Siamak and Baquer were
    sentenced to 10 years in prison at a sham trial, their appeals
    repeatedly denied. Baquer should not spend the rest of his life
    in prison. He and Siamak must be released immediately and
    returned to their family.
        The subcommittee first heard from Omar Zakka when he was
    still in high school. Omar's father, Nizar, is a U.S. legal
    permanent resident and a Lebanese citizen. Nizar is an IT
    professional who was invited to Iran to participate in an IT
    conference. Let me say that again. He was invited to the
    country and then detained. Nizar has been in prison since 2015
    and his physical state has weakened. Like the Namazis, he was
    sentenced to 10 years in a sham trial in 2016.
        And these families are not the only families suffering.
    There are other Americans in Iran. Xiyue Wang is a doctoral
    student at Princeton who went to Iran to do research for his
    dissertation. He was arrested on bogus charges and sentenced to
    10 years in Iran's notorious Evin Prison.
        I would note that just months ago, Iran also arrested
    Michael White, a U.S. Navy veteran, in July. White was beaten,
    has no money to hire a lawyer, and still does not know if any
    charges are filed against him. White is a former cancer patient
    and his health is worsening. Furthermore, there are Canadians
    and Brits and French detained in Iran. It is disgusting the way
    that this regime disregards the human rights of its own people
    and of foreign nationals.
        Hostage taking is a violation of international law. For the
    Levinsons, they have now worked with three U.S.
    administrations; the rest of the families are on their second.
    They encounter the same problems time after time, well-meaning
    officials who run into bureaucratic hurdles, geopolitical
    shifts in our relations with Iran and, worst of all, being left
    behind when others come home.
        This administration has taken pride in its ability to bring
    Americans home, but I am concerned that the withdrawal from the
    JCPOA, the heightened rhetoric, and lack of contact with any
    Iranian officials may slow down efforts to return these
    Americans to their families. But I urge the administration and
    I urge President Trump to sit down with each of these families,
    hear their stories, understand their suffering, and then take
    bold action to return their loved ones.
        And I will turn it over to the ranking member, Mr. Wilson,
    for his opening statement.
        Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Chairman Ted Deutch. I want to thank
    you for holding this important hearing today. I am grateful to
    work with you on this subcommittee on such critical issues. You
    have long fought for the release of Americans unjustly held in
    Iran and I have been particularly inspired by your hard work
    highlighting the case of your constituent, Robert Levinson, who
    disappeared in Iran in 2007.
        Sadly, today is the 12th anniversary of his disappearance.
    I hope that together we can continue the bipartisan tradition
    of the committee of elevating these tragic cases as you and the
    former chairman of the subcommittee, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, have
    been so successful in raising this issue in the past.
        Ms. Levinson, Mr. Namazi, Mr. Zakka, thank you for being
    here today to share your stories of your loved ones. None of us
    can imagine what your families go through every single day.
    Your testimony today will give Congress and the American people
    a small window into the imaginable reality that you face each
    day.
        Iran is currently holding at least eight Americans and dual
    U.S.-Iranian nationals on trumped up charges that amount to
    clear and definitive hostage taking. At least nine other
    individuals with British, French, Australian, and Canadian
    nationality are also being held by the regime. This is
    unfortunately not the first time this subcommittee has held a
    hearing on Iran's hostages.
        Iran's taking of hostage in exchange for political or
    financial concessions is morally reprehensible. It is symbolic
    of Iran's outrageous disregard for international law and basic
    human decency. It goes hand in hand with the regime's
    designation as the foremost State sponsor of terrorism in the
    world. We need to see additional pressure and sanctions
    specifically against Iranian individuals and entities
    responsible for detaining the family members of our witnesses
    here today. Iran has been taking hostages as a matter of policy
    and we must force Iran to change its behavior. We need to see
    an intense, concerted effort from Congress and the
    administration to seek the release of our Americans who are
    being held in Iran.
        I am grateful to join Chairman Deutch as the lead
    Republican on two important pieces of legislation introduced
    today, including a resolution that will be calling for the
    immediate release of Mr. Levinson, Siamak and Baquer Namazi,
    and Nizar Zakka. With all three are U.S.--and all other U.S.
    citizens, legal permanent residents, and foreign nationals
    which are being held in Iran. The other crucial measure that
    will be introduced would impose sanctions on any foreign person
    responsible for or complicit in the unlawful detention abroad
    of a U.S. national.
        It is time for Iran and other rogue regimes to pay the
    price for taking American hostages. I urge this committee to
    take up the bills as soon as possible. And, hey, I know they
    will with Chairman Deutch. Thank you again for the
    extraordinary and brave and courageous witnesses who are here
    today. We look forward to your testimony. I yield back.
        Mr. Deutch. Thank you, Mr. Wilson.
        I will now introduce the witnesses. Mrs. Christine Levinson
    is the wife of Robert Levinson; Mr. Babak Namazi is the brother
    of Siamak Namazi and the son of Baquer Namazi; and Mr. Omar
    Zakka is the son of Nizar Zakka.
        Mrs. Levinson, you are recognized. Witnesses please limit
    your testimony to 5 minutes and, without objection, your
    written statements will be made a part of the record. Thanks
    again for being here.
        Christine, Mrs. Levinson.

        STATEMENT OF CHRISTINE LEVINSON, WIFE OF ROBERT LEVINSON

        Mrs. Levinson. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, and
    distinguished members of this committee, my name is Christine
    Levinson. I am the wife of Robert ``Bob" Levinson, an American
    held by the Iranian Government. My husband is the longest-held
    hostage in American history. If I had my choice I would not be
    sitting here before you to give the testimony I am about to
    give. I would sitting at home with my husband by my side. I am
    only here out of necessity.
        My husband, Bob, has been a hostage for 12 years. Despite
    trying to get him home by every means possible, I am absolutely
    no closer than I was when he first went missing on March 9th,
    2007. I hold the Iranian Government responsible, but I believe
    the U.S. Government is at fault as well. Bob was taken nearly
    12 years ago to this day on Kish Island, Iran.
        Since that time, my family and I have had no direct contact
    with him. A few years ago we received a video of him as a
    hostage pleading for help of the U.S. Government, then we
    received photos of him wearing an orange jumpsuit. We have been
    unable to obtain any information on what needs to be done to
    return Bob home. All the facts of this case tell us that the
    Iranian authorities kidnapped my husband.
        I have been to Kish Island. I believe it would be
    impossible for the Iranian Government not to know what happened
    to Bob. We have confirmed that he made it to his hotel on Kish
    on March 8th, 2007, and left the hotel the next day. But his
    name was nowhere to be found on the passenger manifest for the
    flight returning to Dubai.
        Additionally, the FBI assessment of the video and photos we
    received years later concluded that the Iranian Government had
    to have developed them and sent them to us. The FBI also has a
    $5 million reward that remains unclaimed. The evidence is so
    conclusive that the United Nations released an opinion in 2016
    holding Iran responsible for Bob's continued deprivation of
    liberty, yet Iran has been allowed to feign ignorance over and
    over again with absolutely no consequences from the U.S.
        My family's dreams of reuniting with Bob continue to remain
    just dreams. We believe he is alive and we continue to receive
    reports that he is alive. At this time, there is mounting
    urgency for his health and well-being. Every moment is of the
    essence for Bob, who turns 71 this Saturday. After three very
    different Presidential administrations, we are no closer to
    bringing Bob home than we were when we started. We have
    nothing. There have been some dedicated people from various
    government agencies on the front lines of Bob's case working
    hard to get him home. We are deeply grateful to them.
        At the same time, we have experienced shocking dysfunction
    from our other officials. It became clear to me early on that
    major government bodies were not even talking to each other
    about the case. In the past, statements and misstatements to
    the media by U.S. officials about Bob's status questioning if
    he is alive or in Iran have severely undercut the efforts to
    hold Iran accountable. We know this because Iranian authorities
    have thrown these wrong statements back in our faces.
        The Iranians still regularly point to a statement made in
    error by the White House several years ago that Bob was not in
    Iran. That was wrong. But the U.S. Government gave Iran an
    excuse not to send Bob home. And in January 2016, when other
    American hostages were released and Bob was left behind, the
    U.S. Government let Iran get away with it. My husband served
    this country tirelessly for decades. He deserves better from us
    and from our government.
        In addition to being a patriot, Bob is an incredible
    husband and father. We have raised seven children together.
    When our youngest daughter gets married in just 2 months, it
    will be the last daughter he has the opportunity to walk down
    the aisle, and everyone knows how important that is to a dad.
    Not a day or week goes by that I do not get a phone call from
    one of my children saying how much they miss Bob and struggle
    without him.
        We are all suffering a living nightmare. We wonder
    endlessly what kind of conditions my husband is living through.
    We know how deeply he must ache physically and spiritually from
    being away from us for so long, by being away from anyone he
    knows and loves with absolutely no human rights. What kind of
    hell must he be living in that both our government and Iranian
    authorities have allowed him to live in for so long?
        I want to close my testimony by asking each of you to
    imagine how devastated you would feel being ripped away from
    your family with no contact with your loved ones and no contact
    with the outside world. My husband has been held captive for
    4,381 days. That is 12 years this Saturday, without his family.
    Imagine how alone he must feel. We need your help.
        Today, Congressman Deutch and Senators Menendez and Rubio
    introduced the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery Hostage-Taking
    Accountability Act. I cannot thank them enough for their
    continued support for Bob and our family. I truly hope this
    will be something that brings Bob home. But when Saturday's
    anniversary passes and the media attention immediately shifts,
    a different issue will take the priority and we will again feel
    like we have this immense burden alone. Without you we cannot
    succeed. Please help my family to get Bob home. Thank you.
        [The prepared statement of Mrs. Levinson follows:]

        [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Mr. Deutch. Thank you, Mrs. Levinson.
        Mr. Namazi, you are recognized.

    STATEMENT OF BABAK NAMAZI, BROTHER OF SIAMAK NAMAZI AND SON OF
                             BAQUER NAMAZI

        Mr. Namazi. Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the
    subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to testify today. I sit
    before you in utter desperation and disbelief that over three
    and a half years into my family's indescribable anguish both my
    82-year-old ailing father Baquer Namazi and 47-year-old brother
    Siamak Namazi continue to unjustly and cruelly languish in
    Iran, each with 10-year prison sentences.
        For reasons I still do not understand, my innocent family
    was targeted by Iran's Revolutionary Guards and being used as
    pawns and hostages. Since this nightmare began, my family has
    faced the evil might and power of the IRGC which has imposed on
    us a relentless and sustained campaign of cruelty, pain,
    suffering, lies, and horrors which continue until today.
        I am here today, however, because it must be emphasized
    that the situation for my family, and especially my seriously
    ill father, is critical and swiftly heading toward an
    irreversible tragedy unless something is done and done
    urgently. I am here today to implore the Trump administration,
    the U.S. Congress, the United Nations and, really, anyone at
    all to help me save the lives of my father and brother.
        Since my father's unjust imprisonment in February 2016, he
    has been hospitalized eight times, two of which required
    emergency heart-related surgeries including the installation of
    a pacemaker. My father would only be rushed to the hospital by
    the IRGC when his health reached critical deterioration and
    often his requests for medical attention were ignored, causing
    severe harm.
        My father lost over 20 pounds, was placed for extended
    periods in solitary confinement, and was subjected to severe
    psychological torment. While my father is currently on a
    restricted, temporary medical furlough, his health continues to
    decline. In fact, the rate of deterioration is accelerating
    daily. Aside from his already weakened heart and related
    ailments which continue to deteriorate, he has been recently
    diagnosed with epilepsy as well as a 70 percent blockage of
    main arteries leading to his brain, significantly increasing
    the risk of a stroke.
        My father is getting weaker every day and cannot take a few
    steps without his knees buckling under him and loss of balance.
    It seems every day a new ailment unleashes itself on my frail
    father. We live in constant fear that at any moment my father
    will have his temporary medical furlough revoked and be dragged
    back to Evin Prison. It is due to this fear that I reluctantly
    have been keeping a lower profile and drawing less attention to
    our plight.
        But as the only capable family member living in freedom I
    must do all I can to save my beloved father and brother. I can
    no longer keep quiet. The horrific and painful realities is
    that my father is dying. He needs proper medical attention
    outside of Iran and is living on borrowed time. Unless he is
    allowed to leave urgently, I feel already desperate
    circumstances will turn tragic.
        I have begged repeatedly and do so again for the Iranian
    Government to allow my sick father to be allowed to leave Iran.
    We do not want my father to leave Iran in a coma, or worse,
    dead. The situation is also terrible for my innocent brother
    Siamak who has been languishing in Evin Prison since October
    2015.
        Mr. Chairman, going against all values that we stand for as
    Americans, the prior administration inexplicably and
    unforgivably left Siamak behind in January 2016 when it brought
    other American hostages home. At the time, a mere promise made
    by the Iranians to release my brother within weeks provided
    license to leave an American behind in the name of the greater
    good of a nuclear deal.
        Well, we know how that horrific miscalculation turned out
    for my family. Not only was my brother not released, but the
    IRGC doubled down and also arrested my father who had been
    lured back to visit my brother, shattering our lives beyond
    what we could have ever imagined. I spend a lot of time still
    wondering how our lives would have been so different today had
    Siamak not been abandoned in January 2016.
        Both my father and Siamak are innocent and are being used
    as pawns and hostages. My father has spent his entire life
    serving humanity, including decades spent working with UNICEF
    in the most dangerous parts of the world. Growing up, my
    brother and I missed having my dad around terribly, but we
    understood the importance of his humanitarian mission. It is
    because of his impeccable record with UNICEF that the U.N.
    Secretary General, UNICEF, and hundreds of U.N. staff and
    retirees have privately and publicly reached out to the highest
    levels of the Iranian Government to ask them to release my
    father on humanitarian grounds.
        Siamak similarly followed in my father's footsteps in
    serving humanity. In his most recent efforts, Siamak published
    a detailed report in 2013 that identified the negative effects
    of U.S. sanctions on lifesaving medicine and medical equipment
    reaching the Iranian people. In part, due to his work, the U.S.
    Government relaxed its rules to allow more lifesaving medicine
    to reach the Iranian people.
        I have engaged countless Trump administration officials to
    advocate for my family. With the recent appointment of the
    Special Presidential Envoy on Hostage Affairs Robert O'Brien, I
    am glad there is finally a person responsible for coordinating
    and leading the efforts to bring home hostages like my family.
    I am grateful to Robert and his team for working incredibly
    hard at this. However, the reality is that more than 2 years
    after President Trump's inauguration, at least to me, it seems
    that we are not any closer to bringing my family and other
    hostages home.
        While I do not understand the politics involved between our
    country and Iran, what I do know is that whatever has been
    tried so far has not worked. I strongly believe that only
    through direct engagement focused on the humanitarian
    imperative of bringing home American hostages will there be a
    likelihood of success. While a direct dialog will not guarantee
    success, in my view, the absence of dialog will guarantee
    failure, a failure which would result in my father's death and
    my brother serving at least 10 years in prison. We cannot
    afford to spare any efforts.
        I am counting on President Trump to stay good to his word
    that Americans will not languish in Iran when he is President.
    The President has had great success in freeing other American
    hostages from other countries like North Korea, Venezuela,
    Turkey, Yemen, and Egypt, and I implore the President to spare
    no effort to bring my family and other American hostages home
    from Iran.
        Finally, I would like to share with you a part of a
    personal message from my dad to his UNICEF colleagues urging
    them to continue humanitarian efforts on behalf of the needy.
    My father sent this message to me as he was being forced back
    to prison after one of his emergency heart-related surgeries:
        ``While the pain of those dearest to me continues to hurt
    deeply, I am also sorry that with the help of all of you and
    other great humanitarians that I could not continue to serve
    our common cause of peace for children, especially in the
    sorely troubled Middle East region, elimination of poverty
    through people empowerment, combating child trafficking, and
    opening space to hear the voices of the poor. Sustaining these
    great causes will be the best reward that can, God willing, be
    granted to this humble man.''
        My father and brother have dedicated their lives to the
    most important causes of humanity. Now, we desperately and
    urgently need humanity to be a voice for them before it is too
    late. Please be that voice. Thank you.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Namazi follows:]

        [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Mr. Deutch. Thank you, Mr. Namazi, and thank you for
    sharing that message with us.
        Mr. Zakka.

              STATEMENT OF OMAR ZAKKA, SON OF NIZAR ZAKKA

        Mr. Zakka. Good afternoon. My name is Omar Zakka. I am the
    youngest of Nizar Zakka's three sons and I am speaking on
    behalf of all us today. Thank you all, ladies and gentlemen of
    the Congress and representatives of the American people, for
    the opportunity to speak to you today and for the attention you
    give to my father's kidnapping. This is my second time here. I
    was first here in July 25, 2017.
        Mr. Zakka. It is now nearly 4 years since I have seen my
    father. My father was last seen leaving his hotel on 18th of
    September 2015 on the way to the airport. He was kidnapped and
    taken hostage by the IRGC. My father was in Iran on the
    official invitation of the Iranian Vice President, Ms.
    Molaverdi, who had invited my father to speak on the second
    conference on Women and Sustainable Development.
        I repeat, he was officially invited to Iran by the Vice
    President of Iran.
        My father is an internet freedom advocate. He is the
    president of IJMA3, an international NGO that specializes in
    information technology for development, based in Washington,
    DC. He has spent most of his career working on bridging the
    digital divide between different communities around the world.
    In September 2018, 3 years after my father had been taken, his
    host, Mrs. Molaverdi, admitted to the Associated Press that
    Iran had failed my father, and yet my father remains a hostage
    of the Revolutionary Guard.
        The last 4 years and especially in the 2-years since the
    last hearing, life has been very difficult for us. Time and
    again, our hopes that our father will be released have been
    shattered. My father has been subjected to physical and mental
    torture and ill treatment by his captors who continue to exert
    pressure on him to make false confessions to support his
    crimes. Sometimes my father has been promised that if he
    confesses he will be released. My father is a man of honor and
    integrity. He will not confess to crime he has not committed.
        Somehow, my father sustains his mental strength. He has
    just stopped a 3-week hunger strike a few days ago, the only
    means available to him to protest against his treatment. He
    stopped because we, his family and friends, pleaded to him. His
    body cannot handle such a long hunger strike anymore. My father
    has been denied his human rights. When the Foreign Minister of
    Iran, Mr. Zarif, was once asked by the media about my father's
    case, his reply was that my father's case ``is a problem
    between the U.S. and Iran." What problem between the U.S. and
    Iran could justify kidnapping my father?
        Not a single day of those 4 years has passed that my family
    and I do not fear for my family's safety. The feeling of dread
    we experience if we miss my father's call or if we do not hear
    from him for 3 days is unbearable. We are tormented by the fear
    that something terrible has happened to him or will happen to
    him. In December last year, he was taken into incommunicado
    solitary confinement for approximately 40 days. We did not know
    where he was, if he was alive or dead.
        After 4 years of not seeing my father, I see him on film
    released by the Iranian TV, while being arrested. The film was
    shamelessly broadcast by the Iranian State news. The film, part
    of a smear campaign, it was broadcasted four times on prime
    time television. There is no truth whatsoever in these
    allegations. My father is innocent.
        We thank Secretary of State Mr. Pompeo for the following
    statement he made about my father in mid-September 2016 when he
    was in Congress, in which he said: ``This week marks 1 year the
    Iranian Government has been holding hostage Nizar Zakka, a U.S.
    legal permanent resident and international internet development
    expert. Mr. Zakka this week was sentenced to 10 years in
    prison, millions of dollars in fines; his only crime was to
    bring greater internet access to the women of Iran."
        Currently, my father is being held underground sharing four
    crowded cells between 50 of them, about 17 men to each cell.
    The air in my father's cell is rank with the smell of sewage.
    It is infested with rats and bedbugs. There is no designated
    place for him to eat. My father spends 16 hours of each day and
    every day in a coffin-size space, where he sleeps and keeps all
    of his clothes and a few of his possessions. They cannot see
    the sunlight or breathe fresh air at any time except for 2
    hours a day during lunchtime. They have to choose to have lunch
    and miss the sun, or to see the sun and miss lunch.
        My father's kidnapping is an act of State terrorism. Iran
    has conducted this practice of hostage taking for over 40
    years. We believe it will continue if you, the representatives
    of the American people, do not help to put an end to it. We
    have done everything possible in our capacity to put an end to
    this misery. We have reached out to the U.N. and other
    international human rights organizations, have launched
    petitions, we have campaigned for my father's cause in the
    media, and we have issued countless press releases done by my
    brothers and I about my father's case. But we feel like we are
    facing obstacles we do not understand.
        We are looking forward for President Trump to name my
    father and other hostages, while condemning their arbitrary
    detention by IRGC. Such a statement will help us sustain the
    pain and suffering they are experiencing knowing they are not
    forgotten. We ask America to take all available legal and
    diplomatic measures to reunite us with our father. We ask this
    government to do the same for all the families of the other
    hostages.
        Thank you again to the representatives of the American
    people for this opportunity and for your continuous support.
    Thank you.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Zakka follows:]

        [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Mr. Deutch. Thank you, Mr. Zakka. Thank you to all of our
    witnesses.
        Let me begin by asking, on the July 2018 appointment of
    Robert O'Brien to serve as Special Presidential Envoy for
    Hostage Affairs, the National Security Advisor, John Bolton,
    pledged that O'Brien would maintain a collaborative dialog with
    the families of current hostages regarding diplomatic recovery
    efforts for their loved ones.
        I just would ask each of you, in your view, are Special
    Envoy O'Brien and his staff fulfilling that pledge and in what
    areas could there be improvements from your very important
    perspectives?
        Mrs. Levinson.
        Mrs. Levinson. Robert O'Brien and his team are extremely
    helpful in our case. They are available whenever we need them
    to be. Their team coordinates any meetings that we need to have
    and Mr. O'Brien, himself, is in contact with us whenever he
    feels he needs to give us an update on my husband's case. So I
    think the hostage fusion cell as it is called is doing a good
    job and is necessary to maintain the status of one place where
    you can get all the information about a hostage.
        Mr. Deutch. Good. Thank you, Mrs. Levinson.
        Mr. Namazi.
        Mr. Namazi. Insofar as that office is concerned----
        Mr. Deutch. Can you turn the microphone on, sorry.
        Mr. Namazi. As far as that office is concerned----
        Mr. Deutch. Wait, actually, sorry. Is it on?
        Mr. Namazi. Is that on?
        Mr. Deutch. OK, thank you very much.
        Mr. Namazi. The office has been very helpful. I have had no
    problem having communications. Obviously it is important to
    have a single point who is leading and managing this, but
    obviously from at least my point of view, while that office is
    very valuable and it has been very helpful to have the
    communications, we are all sitting here today because our loved
    ones are not with us yet.
        Mr. Deutch. Mr. Zakka?
        Mr. Zakka. We do appreciate all the support we are getting
    and we hope to see more of this support in the future.
        Mr. Deutch. OK, thanks.
        Ms. Levinson, last May you told Time Magazine that your
    family had been left behind after the Trump administration
    prioritized securing the release of American hostages in North
    Korea. Have you seen increased focus from the Trump
    administration on your husband's case since the release of
    those Americans in North Korea?
        Mrs. Levinson. Unfortunately, I have not. I feel that more
    could be done. Bob is still not home and so it is necessary for
    the Trump administration to make it a priority. Bob is the
    longest-held hostage, as I said before, and the U.S. Government
    needs to get him home and that is all we are asking for. It is
    not something that every American would not want for their
    family.
        Mr. Deutch. It is a little unorthodox and probably not
    quite the right thing to do, but I would just ask each of you,
    since I know the White House watches what happens here, shares
    it with the President, do you have a message for the President?
        Mrs. Levinson. I would ask that he would meet with us. He
    does not know us. He does not understand how difficult it has
    been for our family because he has not talked to us. We need to
    make sure that everyone in the U.S. Government at the highest
    levels knows how difficult it is for any family to be away from
    their loved one and unable to resolve it themselves.
        Mr. Deutch. I appreciate that.
        Mr. Namazi.
        Mr. Deutch. I am not sure that it is----
        Mr. Namazi. Yes. I mean obviously I would welcome very much
    the President's direct engagement. I mean again in the case of
    my family, he set a very, very high standard for me personally,
    my family personally, when he tweeted about my family. And I
    have a feeling with the incredible success he has had with
    releasing other hostages from other countries, if he does meet
    with us and hear our stories he will be even further motivated
    to spare no efforts especially given the urgency of my father's
    health. And I am sure he would be very keen to do more himself.
        Mr. Deutch. I appreciate that.
        Ms. Zakka.
        Mr. Zakka. I hope President Trump sees our case and puts a
    little bit more focus to it and accomplishes the same
    accomplishments he has done with other hostages throughout the
    world. And I hope our families are next, all of our families,
    because we do miss them and we cannot wait for them to come
    home.
        Mr. Deutch. I appreciate that and I appreciate those
    messages.
        Mr. Wilson, I will turn it over to you.
        Mr. Wilson. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
        And this is one of the most meaningful hearings I have ever
    been to and it is so meaningful because of your participation,
    your heartfelt presentation.
        And for Mr. Zakka and Mr. Namazi, if you are able, can you
    tell us the conditions that you know about your loved one, how
    being held, and the importance for the world to understand that
    the Iranian regime is not only holding your loved ones, but
    also abusing them. And if each of you could explain, begin with
    Mr. Namazi and Mr. Zakka. And the only reason I did not ask
    Mrs. Levinson, because they still are concealing what occurred
    March the 9th, so we--that is why I am asking you.
        Mr. Namazi. Thank you. I mean since the arrest there has
    been just absolutely horrific mistreatment. I mean in the case
    of Siamak there has been also physical abuse. This has included
    the use of tasers. He has been placed in solitary confinement
    and isolation for close to a year. And in certain circumstances
    there was a threat of electric shock with the authorities going
    as far as actually putting wiring on him. He has had no
    mattress to sleep on for a very extended period of time. He was
    in a dark, cold cell.
        And in the case of my father, as I mentioned, he is on
    medical furlough right now, but you know while he was there he
    has been as an 82-year-old man someone woke up one morning and
    decided that let's put this old man in the solitary confinement
    for a few weeks. Well, who does this? Who wakes up and make a
    decision like this?
        We appreciate the attention. It has been a painful decision
    for me to come out and speak publicly as it has been for other
    family members, but I fear if I do not speak about this I--it
    is important for the world to know that the suffering we are
    going and our loved ones are going through and that is why the
    urgency.
        Mr. Wilson. Thank you.
        And, Mr. Zakka?
        Mr. Zakka. The treatment of everyone in Evin especially the
    ones taken from American citizens and other people they do not
    care about their physical condition. They do not care about
    their mental condition. They subject them to being in solitary
    confinement for extended periods of time with disregard of any
    human rights.
        Mr. Wilson. Thank you very much.
        And, Mrs. Levinson, it really is so impressive to be here
    with your family, and I look forward to having your input in
    trying to identify the most effective way forward. From your
    experience, from your study, from your family's study, and what
    talented family you have, what do you believe can be most
    effective to try to change the course of the Iranian conduct of
    the illegal concealing and holding of your husband?
        Mrs. Levinson. I am not sure what is going to resolve my
    husband's case. What I would hope is that both sides of the
    U.S. Government and Iran would work to get the cases of both my
    husband and all the other people being held hostage resolved.
    There is no reason for a government to hold an individual. I
    hope that the United States administration just continues to
    make it a priority to get all the hostages everywhere in the
    world home. These are the people who make up the United States.
    The United States is a country of freedom and these people have
    no freedom. And that is what we need to make sure the other
    governments do, especially Iran.
        Mr. Wilson. And we go back to the Tripoli pirates. I mean
    this has always been the standard of our country to recover
    hostages and not be subject to hostages and, sadly, and, Mrs.
    Levinson, in your situation there has been no contact at all.
        But, Mr. Namazi and Mr. Zakka, have you been in contact at
    all with the Iranian regime in terms of what may be required
    for their release, for your family's release?
        Mr. Namazi. I personally have had no contact with the
    Iranian Government. No.
        Mr. Zakka. Neither do I.
        Mr. Wilson. And, additionally, has there been any
    intimidation by any, all three of you, by the Iranian regime
    that could be directed from the Iranian regime? Has there been
    any intimidation effort on your family?
        Mrs. Levinson. No, we have not received any kind of
    intimidation. They have not acknowledged that they have Bob,
    officially, so they have not done anything as far as
    intimidating us.
        Mr. Namazi. Half of my family was ripped away from me, so I
    do not think they needed to call and threaten anymore. The
    action spoke very, very loudly. I know for a fact that my
    brother was constantly threatened with the arrest of my mom,
    for example, but from my perspective I would have rather had
    threatening calls, I mean between the decisions. I mean this is
    horrible to have to sit here and say this, but I would rather
    be threatened, beaten than have my father and none of my family
    members. But I wish they had taken me instead of my father
    because he would not be dying right now today, perhaps.
        Mr. Wilson. And, Mr. Zakka?
        Mr. Zakka. To be honest, I could not have said it better
    than my peer, Mr. Namazi. We did not have any intimidation,
    though they have--I have nothing to say, sir.
        Mr. Wilson. Again, as I conclude I want to thank each of
    you and what wonderful families you have. God bless you.
        Mr. Zakka. Thank you.
        Mr. Deutch. Mr. Vargas, you are recognized.
        Mr. Vargas. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Thank you for
    holding this hearing and the ranking member also, and
    especially I want to thank the witnesses here today.
        Mrs. Levinson, obviously I listened very carefully to your
    testimony and I mean what was very moving was the sad situation
    that your daughter may be walking down the aisle, again without
    your husband. I have two daughters and I think that was very
    moving. And then when you were asked, you know, if you could
    say anything to the President, you would like to talk to him.
    And I hope you do get a chance because you communicated that so
    well how sad it is and how tormenting it is not to have your
    husband home.
        And how that also, Mr. Namazi, your dad and your brother,
    Mr. Zakka, your dad, I hope you get that opportunity because I
    think there is more that we can do as a government to bring
    them home. I did want to ask specifically about that. I mean,
    my family has never been taken hostage, I hope they never do
    obviously, and I want to know what kind of contact do you have
    from the American government?
        Now obviously we talked about the Special Envoy O'Brien,
    but what kind of day-to-day contact or week-to-week or month-
    to-month or year-to-year, what kind of contact do you have
    officially with the government as we tell you what we are doing
    or what we cannot do to help you?
        Mrs. Levinson. In Bob's case the U.S. Government, as I said
    before Bob was a retired FBI agent so we have always maintained
    contact with the FBI. We do have contact with--we did have
    contact with the State Department as well over the years and we
    have met with the high-level officials that we need to over the
    years.
        As far as the Hostage Envoy goes, I feel that it is much
    easier now because there is one person who you get in touch
    with and then you are able to get all the meetings you need
    through that one person. And the Hostage Envoy Mr. O'Brien does
    get in touch with us whenever he has new information to share.
    If we ask for a phone call they are always willing to talk to
    us. I have never seen any problem with getting in touch with
    them about the case.
        Mr. Vargas. That is good to hear. My question was going to
    be then, he does communicate with you then. You do not only
    call him, he sometimes calls you if he has information?
        Mrs. Levinson. Right. He will ask for a call with us and we
    will make an arrangement for actually the whole family to get
    on a conference line and talk about the case, and he has done
    that several times. And as I said, he has invited us to DC for
    meetings and so on, so he has done a very good job at this.
        Mr. Vargas. Thank you.
        Mr. Namazi, how about yourself?
        Mr. Namazi. I am of course in regular contact with senior
    administration officials and I live in Dubai so, and I come to,
    you know, Washington quite regularly, and on this trip also I
    did meet with them. I have had again not a difficulty in
    meeting with senior officials, although before the Hostage
    Envoy Mr. O'Brien was appointed, there were changes. It was not
    continuity and that was a challenge, you know, that it was
    almost a restart. And I know they are working hard for the
    release of my family as well as the other family members that
    we have here, but at the same time I feel there is not enough
    is being done fast enough, I mean especially in the sense of
    the urgency is very clear in the case of my father and it has
    been clear for the past year or two and the deterioration has
    been very rapid.
        And so while I do--I am very grateful for the engagement, I
    do hope that we can step up and deploy whatever tools we have
    as American government because obviously there is a lot we can
    do.
        Mr. Vargas. Yes. Well, I know even in your testimony you
    were reticent to come up and speak because of the--you were
    hesitant because of potential danger. But thank you for your
    bravery. Thank you for coming forward. And I know that you are
    very concerned because of your father's age and his illness, so
    I hope that this does encourage our government and obviously
    the regime in Iran to do more to release him.
        How about you, Mr. Zakka?
        Mr. Zakka. They do communicate with my lawyer, but
    personally they do not, and as needed.
        Mr. Vargas. So the Special Envoy has never communicated
    with you personally?
        Mr. Zakka. No, sir.
        Mr. Vargas. OK. Do you feel like you get the information
    that you need?
        Mr. Zakka. No, sir.
        Mr. Vargas. You do not, OK. So in your case then it does
    seem like we have to do a better job to communicate with you to
    let you know what is going on; is that correct?
        Mr. Zakka. Yes, sir. I sure hope so.
        Mr. Vargas. OK. My time has expired. Again thank you very
    much for showing the courage to come forward and I hope we can
    help. And again I want to thank the chair for the bills that
    they have proposed and I certainly will support them. Thank you
    very much. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
        Mr. Deutch. Thank you, Mr. Vargas.
        Mr. Chabot, you are recognized.
        Mr. Chabot. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I would like to
    begin by thanking Mr. Deutch for his commitment, I know, to the
    Levinson family. He has been involved in this for a long--it is
    obviously much harder on the family, but I know it is something
    he has been committed to and done everything that he could for
    his constituents in this particular instance, so we appreciate
    that.
        I know how frustrating it has been for obviously the
    family, principally, and a lot of the questions I think, you
    know, it mostly comes down to what can we do when we are
    considering legislation? Are there--have you all had a chance
    to review or was that done in cooperation with you? Are there
    things that you would like us to do additionally other than
    supporting that legislation?
        Mrs. Levinson, in particular was there something that you
    would like to, for example, you know, boy, I wish this would
    have gotten in the bill, or did not get in there. Are there any
    other thoughts that you have or----
        Mrs. Levinson. I personally have not seen the wording on
    the bill so I do not know exactly what it states. I would ask,
    a Special Envoy is I think something that is necessary, but I
    would hope that the administration would not use this as an
    excuse to pass the buck, so to speak, and not meet with the
    families themselves. I would like everybody to be able to see
    the families and see what they are going through and be able to
    help in any way possible.
        And sometimes I think because there is one person to go to
    who handles everything, it is hard. People just do not take the
    interest as much in the case. I do not think the overall
    government does that and we need to do that.
        Mr. Chabot. OK, thank you very much.
        Let me ask this. I know one of the things that being in
    your circumstances and, you know, obviously none of us can
    relate to this unless we are actually under those circumstances
    and we are not, but let me just ask you this. It must be very,
    very frustrating to have to kind of hold your tongue with
    respect to Iran and the government knowing that they have your
    loved one over there and if you express your outrage that they
    can take it out on your loved one, so you have to be somewhat
    careful about that. Is that the case or what? I would be
    interested in hearing from each of you.
        Mrs. Levinson.
        Mrs. Levinson. Honestly, that is always in the back of my
    mind. We have over the 12 years been silent and we have also
    tried to push them hard, and I do wonder every time we open our
    mouths whether it is going to have an effect on Bob and what
    happens to him, especially since we have no information----
        Mr. Chabot. Yes.
        Mrs. Levinson [continuing]. About what they are doing to
    him right now.
        Mr. Chabot. Yes. Just as Member of Congress, I am sure you
    are all familiar with Otto Warmbier who was taken by the North
    Koreans. Well, I used to represent the little part of the
    greater Cincinnati area that he was in--now it is Brad
    Wenstrup--and I think Brad felt the same way. We were very--as
    much as I hate Kim Jong-un and think he is a brutal, thuggish
    dictator who has done the most outrageous things to his own
    people, you sort of wanted to bite your tongue because you
    always thought if you are saying that they might take it out on
    this person knowing that they have anything to do with you. So
    I was always very careful until he got back here, obviously in
    a terrible state, but that has got to be even tougher for the
    family.
        Mr. Namazi and Mr. Zakka, how about, about holding your
    tongue?
        Mr. Namazi. It is an extremely difficult decision. Being
    here today for me was a very difficult decision because the
    Iranian Government will always take the easy way out and blame
    the victims for what it is doing to them. So every time I speak
    to the press, every time I come to hearings, which I wish it
    would end soon that I be here to celebrate as opposed to
    sharing the pain, but the fact is that it is important, I
    think, to--if there is not attention given to my family and
    others there could be even--I feel there could be even more
    mistreatment.
        So yes, I do fear but I have to wrestle that versus the
    absolute silence of what that would mean for them. I do not
    have that luxury of knowing what is right and wrong all the
    time. I have to go with my gut feeling and of course the advice
    I get. The Iranians have always insisted on keeping it quiet
    because who wants this kind of publicity? Who wants this kind
    of attention?
        So I learned the difficult way, because for the first years
    since this nightmare started for my family we did keep quiet. I
    broke my silence only when there was a conviction. And I have
    to say that was also encouraged by the previous administration
    to keep quiet especially when my brother was left behind. No
    one wanted to get that kind of attention on that side as well.
        Mr. Chabot. Thank you.
        Mr. Chair, my time has expired, but could Mr. Zakka answer
    as well?
        Mr. Deutch. Of course, of course.
        Mr. Zakka, you are recognized.
        Mr. Zakka. I am actually very fearful about what I say and
    what I do in front of the public in regards to IRGC or Iran
    just because they are very unpredictable. They will take
    anything and just maybe put it out on him and it does affect
    me. I do not know what I can say or what I cannot and how they
    will perceive it. It is a constant fear whenever I do present
    myself in public toward this cause.
        Mr. Chabot. Thank you very much. I yield back.
        Mr. Deutch. Thank you.
        Mr. Trone.
        Mr. Trone. First of all, I want to thank Chairman Deutch
    for holding this hearing. This is an unmitigated tragedy for
    the families. I mean I cannot--it is hard to comprehend a
    brother, a father, or a husband not going down the aisle with
    the daughters, it is mind boggling. America has had a tradition
    of no person left behind and we owe it to you folks to continue
    that.
        And I guess my first question would be, how would you
    characterize the differences between how the Obama
    Administration was working on this versus the Trump
    administration?
        Mrs. Levinson.
        Mrs. Levinson. The Trump administration--the Hostage Envoy
    was not in place during President Obama's first administration.
    He was only created in, the position was only created at the
    end of his second term.
        Mr. Trone. Who was the Hostage Envoy?
        Mrs. Levinson. James O'Brien. And now with the Trump
    administration that position has been in place since the
    beginning. And so it is a whole different situation and it is
    difficult because I cannot really judge the two administrations
    differently because of the two different situations. In the
    beginning we had no contact with President Obama or his
    administration the way we do since the Hostage Envoy was
    created, so I would say that the Hostage Envoy is helpful.
        The differences also, the Obama Administration was willing
    to talk to the Iranians and the Trump administration has said
    they will not talk to the Iranians. So it is a----
        Mr. Trone. It is going to be hard getting a resolution if
    we do not talk to the Iranians.
        Mrs. Levinson. Right, right.
        Mr. Trone. Mr. Namazi?
        Mr. Namazi. I mean again, you open with a very correct
    statement. As Americans we do not leave anyone behind and with,
    you know as I have mentioned a few times, but I cannot help
    myself because this is just so--I am living every day as a
    consequence of that--that is what I thought. That is what my
    family thought. That is what we all believe in. This is what
    America stands for.
        We realize on national television that my brother was left
    behind. So yes, it was Iranians. It was Revolutionary Guards
    who took my family and kept them. It was Obama Administration
    who chose to leave Siamak behind for reasons I will not
    understand until today. My family will not understand.
        So my engagement again was very unique because for the
    first few months obviously that was still my family's only hope
    was the engagement. And I met with Jim O'Brien, an amazing
    person and he cared. And people who take this position is not
    for the money, obviously. It is not for the glory. It is a
    thankless job and I appreciate people who are dedicated to
    this. What policy is going to be implemented by these
    individuals and what powers do they have?
        And I share Mrs. Levinson's concern that yes, it is amazing
    and it is incredible to have this Special Presidential Envoy
    because there is one person in charge. At the same time, I used
    to go to the White House quite often, not that I want to go to
    the White House, you know, do not misunderstand me. But I felt
    I was being more engaged with decisionmakers.
        And I think, one, you had asked what can be done with the
    Presidential Envoy. I think perhaps empower him even more and
    for him to be a principal. And we had spoken about a position
    as Ambassador because obviously whatever decisions are made are
    made at the White House and especially with this administration
    that has a whole different approach with Iran that becomes even
    more important.
        Mr. Trone. Mr. Zakka?
        Mr. Zakka. I am not very aware of how like government works
    and the policies that go around, at least most of them. What I
    could see is that the new administration is more upfront with
    their, well, activities and everything they do a little bit
    more than the Obama Administration.
        Mr. Trone. Well, I tell you, I think it is certainly
    important to Mr. Wilson's point that we have an opportunity,
    you have an opportunity to sit down with the President at some
    point in time, sooner not later. Every day, it is a bad day--
    and tell him your story and if he has that as an imperative he
    can get that job done. And we owe it to you to get that job
    done. Thank you.
        Mr. Zakka. Thank you.
        Mr. Deutch. I thank you, Mr. Trone.
        Mr. Watkins, you are recognized.
        Mr. Watkins. I yield my time.
        Mr. Deutch. OK, thank you.
        Mr. Keating.
        Mr. Keating. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank
    you and the ranking member for having this important hearing. I
    also would like to say, Mr. Chairman, I think as Mrs. Levinson
    knows in particular that each and every opportunity over the
    years, you have been making sure at every possible committee
    hearing that we have had publicly that people know that this is
    a priority for us, that these Americans are being detained
    without legal justification.
        And I would like to really thank the witnesses for coming
    forward here today because it is not easy. It takes a lot of
    courage and I know how difficult that must be. But I also know
    how important it is that we hear your voices and that the rest
    of America hears your voices through these hearings. And I
    hope, too, the Iranians hear your voices.
        In fact, I will tell you with your presence here--I want to
    say this and I think I do not speak for myself in many ways,
    but this Congress there is legislation to impose sanctions on
    those Iranians that are responsible for and complicit with
    politically motivated and extended detention or trial of U.S.
    citizens or legal permanent citizens. And your presence here
    and hearing these stories and seeing the actions of the Iranian
    Government in doing this will shape greatly the way I view that
    legislation.
        And that legislation would not only pertain to sanctions
    individually on those people, but on their families as well.
        So thank you for being here in that regard. We have heard
    most of what you have had to say. I have, like so many members,
    I have family members who are being detained, Paul Whelan in
    Russia, right now without legal justification.
        And I would just like to ask one question other than the
    statement I made. Is there anything outside the official areas
    of action that is taken by the State Department or by the Envoy
    that we could ever be helpful with, you know, the effects on
    your family, maybe some help for your family and they are
    coping with this that there might be areas where we can provide
    some assistance?
        Before I did this I was a district attorney and I know that
    people suffering the kind of trauma you are having, although it
    is hard to compare some of that I know that what they are going
    through as a family and what they are going through themselves.
    Could you suggest perhaps, maybe some other resources that
    might help you or your family members to get through this?
        Mrs. Levinson. Actually, I think the Victims Services
    Administration, the people in that group do help sometimes. I
    have been in contact with them and they have helped my family.
    I do not know what else they can do right now.
        Mr. Keating. I know. There is only one thing that will
    remedy the situation.
        Mrs. Levinson. Right, right.
        Mr. Keating. And that is getting them back.
        Mrs. Levinson. Right.
        Mr. Keating. And these are years of your life and of their
    lives that are taken away. And all our lives are measured in
    years and hours and minutes and it is a terrible deprivation.
    Any other suggestions that you might have other than--you
    really do not have to suggest much or tell us. Your presence
    here says it all, so thank you for doing this.
        And I yield back.
        Mr. Deutch. Thank you, Mr. Keating.
        Mr. Waltz, please, you are recognized.
        Mr. Waltz. And thank you, Chairman and Ranking Member
    Wilson, for allowing me to support the families today and your
    important legislative efforts. And I just want to echo my
    colleagues, the Iranian--I do not even want to say habit, I
    want to say practice--deliberate State practice of hostage
    taking that has been a part of their foreign policy since the
    taking of our embassy in 1979. We may remember former Army
    officer and CIA Officer Buckley who was tortured and hung
    through the Iranian proxies Hezbollah, in the 1980's, and they
    are still operating through proxies. I also want to call
    attention in addition to your tragic cases to the longest-held
    journalist, Austin Tice, through the Syrian regime backed by
    Iran.
        My question for you--well, before I get to my question, I
    certainly agree with my colleagues and I would be interested in
    your families' take on this as well. I certainly agree we need
    to turn up the pressure through sanctions that will be in this
    legislation. I think that is how the Iranian regime responds.
        I also understand your desire for dialog and talk and would
    certainly support a humanitarian track that is limited but
    specifically talks about these cases and opens that up. My
    guardrail on that and I would be interested in your take, is
    that no other substance though. And as a way to keep up the
    pressure to keep them to the table and no other substance in
    terms of improving our relationship, in terms of easing the
    sanctions, in terms of any other thing the regime wants,
    without resolution on these issues whether it is the--and it is
    the full release.
        My question is, one, your opinion there, do you agree with
    that if the administration were to take that approach?
        And then, second, specifically for you, Mr. Namazi, can you
    elaborate on how your brother was left behind, your
    understanding of how that happened? I think we need to get that
    out in the public consciousness in a very real way so that it
    never happens again with any other type of negotiation. So just
    first a humanitarian track, but no other substance and then
    second, if you can elaborate on that, Mr. Namazi.
        Mr. Namazi. Thank you. I believe it is very much consistent
    with American values of cherishing life and cherishing bringing
    Americans home. And we can only do that in my view--and I do
    not think there are many people who would disagree with that,
    really--is through dialog and a very narrow dialog just as you
    have described it on a humanitarian track.
        We have managed to get other hostages home from countries
    that we thought we were going to go to war with imminently, you
    know, I am referring to North Korea. If you recall, there were
    discussions and fear of a nuclear engagement and within months
    through dialog, I would imagine, and then other countries. So,
    yes, I would very much support that. I believe not doing it
    would result in failure.
        Mr. Waltz. So not to interrupt you, Mr. Namazi, but you
    would agree then as a resolution in all of these cases with
    Iran as a precondition for any other talks?
        Mr. Namazi. From my point of view----
        Mr. Waltz. From your perspective.
        Mr. Namazi. From my point of view, this is the most
    important thing in the world for me, yes. I do not know why my
    brother was left behind. I have heard different stories. I have
    heard different versions and I have also been accused, my
    family has also been accused unofficially and off the record by
    unnamed sources that we never requested help. This is a puzzle
    that I will take to grave with me, I would imagine.
        But the fact is that Siamak was left behind. He was left
    behind when there was an opportunity not to leave him behind.
    And I think it was because it was so important to have a deal
    on a specific date and that date could not be----
        Mr. Waltz. You are referring to the Iran deal?
        Mr. Namazi. Yes.
        Mr. Waltz. Yes.
        Mr. Namazi. I cannot imagine anything else. But I do not
    understand what happened in the back doors. I have heard
    different stories. I have never heard--I hope 1 day someone
    writes a book who knows what really happened and I can find out
    what happened to my family.
        But the painful truth is he was not on a plane when other
    hostages were on there. We found out about it, did not even get
    the heads up. Not that that would have made it any easier, but
    if someone had called and said, oh, we cannot tell you why,
    but, you know, be prepared for bad news.
        Mr. Waltz. Mr. Namazi, I am sorry to interrupt you.
        Just in the interest of the little bit of time I have
    remaining, would--I think there is a notion within media that
    we deal with that and well-meaning that they do not want to
    highlight these cases because they do not want to, you know,
    increase the value of these hostages that are clearly being
    held as part of hostage diplomacy.
        And as you have gone through this process do you see now
    this horrible process you are going through that there is
    actually value, more value--I know there is risks and you have
    all described there are risks, to my colleagues. But just as a
    way for us to help in highlighting these cases and keeping the
    spotlight on them that there is more to be gained there than
    risk? Is that, I mean is there kind of a consensus there
    amongst the families?
        And apologies, Chairman, for going over my time.
        Mrs. Levinson. Bob was actually also left behind in that
    2016 deal. And they were supposed to continue talking about his
    case and they were supposed to have meetings between the U.S.
    Government and the Iranian officials on Bob's case. After the
    deal was made they had one meeting and nothing happened and it
    took from January to May before they had that one meeting. They
    had that one meeting and said they could not resolve the case
    and so therefore nothing else was done.
        When asked about the differences between the two
    administrations, I would say that although the Trump
    administration has the Hostage Envoy in place, the Obama
    Administration had an opportunity to get Bob home and failed to
    get him home and they had 8 years to do it. I hope that
    President Trump does not follow that lead and leave Bob behind
    again.
        I think we need dialog. I think we need to figure out how
    to make that dialog happen because the Iranians do not need to
    come to the table if they do not want to. Something has to
    change to make them want to come to the table.
        Mr. Deutch. Thank you very much, Mr. Waltz.
        Ms. Levinson, Mr. Namazi, Mr. Zakka, to your families we
    are immensely grateful for your participation at our hearing
    today. Thank you for reminding us how extremely personal this
    is for you. Thank you for reminding us that we have a critical
    role to play in bringing your family members home.
        And I would echo what Mr. Wilson said, the power of your
    testimony today will help compel that we continue to act on
    behalf of your loved ones and do everything that we possibly
    can to ensure that this is the last time that we ever have to
    have this hearing. Thank you and this hearing is adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 2:42 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]

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