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News / Nation & World

Lebanese U.S. resident, freed by Iran, leaves for America

By Associated Press
Published: June 18, 2019, 9:21am

BEIRUT — A Lebanese man and permanent U.S. resident released by Tehran after years in an Iranian prison has left Lebanon for the United States, where his three sons reside.

Nizar Zakka’s office says the 52-year old information technology expert is travelling to the U.S. on Tuesday.

Zakka was released last week and flew to his native Lebanon after nearly four years in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison.

Zakka was detained in Iran in September 2015 while trying to fly out of the country and subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison on accusation of spying for the U.S. He vigorously rejected the charges.

He told The Associated Press after his release that he was tortured in prison and appealed to Washington and other Western countries to get their nationals held in Iran.

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