Families accuse EU of ‘ignoring’ Europeans held by Iran

The families of four Europeans imprisoned for several years by Iran accuse the European Union of ignoring the plight of their loved ones who they say are held hostage by the Islamic republic.

The open letter by the families to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell comes as little sign emerges of a breakthrough in talks on the Iranian nuclear program which activists believe could speed their release.

“We, the families of French, Swedish, German, and Austrian citizens, who have been illegally detained by the Iranian regime, are outraged that the European Union seems to be ignoring these crimes,” the families say in the letter.

“All of them wonder whether EU officials have forgotten them and how much longer they will have to endure this ordeal,” they add.

The letter was signed by the sister of French citizen Benjamin Briere, the wife of Austrian Kamran Ghaderi, the wife of Swede Ahmadreza Djalali and the daughter of German citizen Jamshid Sharmahd.