UK – Iranwire, Sept. 23, 2026
A copy of a statement by Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh, issued on the second anniversary of his detention in Evin Prison, has been received by IranWire. In the statement, Valizadeh discloses that he could have avoided imprisonment by accepting a proposal from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Organization to cooperate and entrap former colleagues, but chose prison instead.
Valizadeh wrote: “Although I could have accepted the IRGC Intelligence Organization’s ‘tempting’ deal to entrap my colleagues and lure them back to Iran, thereby not only avoiding prison but also enjoying the numerous privileges of such collaboration, my choice was prison, and I will not beg for my freedom from any party.”
The Iranian-American journalist has now entered his second year of incarceration. Throughout this period, he has been denied furlough and has been barred from in-person visits with his family for nearly eight months.
In another portion of his statement, Valizadeh addresses individuals considering returning to Iran, issuing a warning based on his own experience against trusting promises made by Islamic Republic security institutions.
Reflecting on those killed during the January 2026 nationwide protests, he noted: “My two years of imprisonment are nothing compared to the grief of families who have had to unzip dozens or hundreds of body bags searching for the remains of their loved ones.”
The journalist further accused the regime of turning victimhood into a political trade, writing: “There were funds for missiles, but sanctions for living. There were organizations for suppression, but prisons for freedom.”
