Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 11:20amThu 16 Jul 2026 at 11:20amA US-Iranian woman (not pictured) has been released from detention in Iran. (Reuters: WANA/Majid Asgaripour)In short: US-Iranian citizen Dena Karari has been freed after almost two years of detention in Iran. Her lawyer said she was held on "bogus charges" of collaboration with a hostile state and espionage. Ms Karari is now outside Iran and US President Donald Trump has welcomed the "gesture of goodwill" from the regime.A US-Iranian woman, who has been detained in Iran since December 2024, has been freed by Tehran. International human rights lawyer Jared Genser confirmed his client, Dena Karari, was on her way home after experiencing interrogation and detainment."I am beyond excited to report that my client Dena Karari, a US-Iranian citizen, who has been trapped in Iran on bogus charges of collaboration with a hostile state and espionage, is now safely out of Iran and on her way back to the United States," attorney Jared Genser said in a statement.He said what drew Tehran authorities to Ms Karari was her operation of the non-profit Children of Mehr Foundation, which helped impoverished children in Iran through private donations. "While subject to a coercive exit ban, she was interrogated dozens of times by Iran's notorious Ministry of Intelligence and Security and although never physically detained, she suffered enormous physical and psychological hardship," Mr Genser said.He also called on Iran to release all remaining "wrongly imprisoned Americans and those subjected to coercive exit bans and all Iranian political prisoners."Mr Genser's announcement was pre-empted by US President Donald Trump sharing the news that "an American citizen" had been freed by the regime."She is now safely outside of Iran, and in good condition," Mr Trump said."The United States of America appreciates this gesture of Goodwill by Iran!"Iran is holding several Western nationals and is accused of using them as bargaining chips in negotiations between governments.Iran has launched missiles and drones at Kuwait and Bahrain in recent days. (Reuters)In May, Washington announced that an Iranian citizen with US permanent residence status had been released after serving a 10-year prison sentence in Iran.Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding last month aimed at ending the Middle East war, but the rivals have renewed hostilities, with fighting resuming across the region.The US has resumed its blockade of Iran, recently shooting and disabling an empty oil tanker sailing towards an Iranian port. US Central Command has announced new rounds of strikes against targets within Iran.AFP