American reporter held incommunicado in Iran
posted at 8:15 am on March 2, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Roxana Saberi has gone missing, and the Iranian police are the prime suspects. The independent journalist’s family last heard from Roxana on February 10th, when she told them that the police would only hold her a couple of days. She advised them to remain quiet, but three weeks of silence later, they’re going public in an effort to pressure Tehran (via Mitch Berg):
A U.S. journalist has been arrested in Iran, and her father said Sunday she told him in a brief phone call she was detained after buying a bottle of wine.
Roxana Saberi, 31, has not been heard from since her last call on Feb. 10, her father, Reza, told The Associated Press on Sunday. …
Officials in Iran have not publicly confirmed the arrest. A duty officer at the U.S. State Department said Sunday officials were looking into an AP request for information on the case.
The Iranians suddenly have something to say about Saberi, however. Agence France-Presse reports an accusation of “illegal” news gathering:
Iran said on Monday that a freelance US journalist with Iranian nationality who is reportedly being detained in the Islamic republic has been gathering news “illegally.”
Foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi did not confirm or deny whether Roxana Saberi, 31, was being detained by the Iranian authorities, but said her activities were “illegal”. …
“Ever since her credentials were revoked by Ershad, her activities have been illegal,” Ghashghavi said, referring to the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance, which provides press accreditation for foreign journalists and Iranian reporters working for foreign media in Iran.
“Since 2006 when her press accreditation was revoked, she should not have illegally sought to gather information and news in Iran.”
Saberi, a former Miss North Dakota, has dual citizenship; her father was born in Iran. He strongly advised her not to go when Saberi made plans to live and report in his native country, but she insisted that she wanted to report on the stories of everyday Iranian life. She has been working on a book about Iran and its people since losing her press accreditation, but the New York Post reports that the Iranians have tacitly allowed her to file short news reports on a free-lance basis — at least until last month.
This puts Barack Obama’s “smart power” foreign policy to the test. If Saberi’s case gets a lot of attention, the State Department will feel the pressure to get her released. This happened a few times during the Bush administration, which succeeded in all but one case to gain the release of arrested Americans. The one failure was former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared two years ago after visiting the Iranian island of Kish. That case has all but dropped off the radar of Americans in the meantime, and the Iranians deny holding Levinson at all.
The Iranians say they will publicly comment on Saberi’s status on Tuesday, which will be this evening in the US. We’ll see if Obama and Hillary Clinton’s extended hand will have any effect.
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I’m sure that lots of talking, diplomacy and smart power will be the salve that this situation requires.
myrenovations on March 2, 2009 at 8:22 AM
She is a bargaining chip for Iran.
Make sure Israel does’nt bomb our nuke facilities
or the girl gets it.
elderberry on March 2, 2009 at 8:25 AM
No sympathy. Apparently, she voluntarily went.
Annette Benning and some of her Hollywood actor friends are in Iran kissing the Ayatollah’s rump. Maybe they can at least sneak some arugula into her cell.
Hollywood team in Iran on cultural exchange:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090227/ennew_afp/entertainmentusiranfilm_20090227233124
Iran wants apology from Hollywood team:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.2b0b8bd405048e19f36fa896834ca058.9b1&show_article=1
JiangxiDad on March 2, 2009 at 8:25 AM
Smartes woman in the world on the job? Roxana will be back with her bottle of wine.
/sarc
OmahaConservative on March 2, 2009 at 8:26 AM
There are a bunch of Hollywood ladies over there or at least they were there over the weekend. Maybe they could help.
/sarc
Cindy Munford on March 2, 2009 at 8:26 AM
Clearly, the Hollywood team will work their magic. If not, we’ve always got “smart power.” I’m sure Miss Saberi feels better already.
CarolynM on March 2, 2009 at 8:27 AM
I am pretty sure Israel isn’t going to care.
Cindy Munford on March 2, 2009 at 8:28 AM
It shouldn’t be that hard to find this woman. Just do a search on foot; it’s a tiny country after all.
Bishop on March 2, 2009 at 8:29 AM
………..do a prisoner exchange………send The Messiah’s Auntie (and her 4 Felony Warrants for Deportation which “you are all cowards”) Holder refuses to pursue……or tell Iran that if they release her, our Treasury Secretary will start paying his taxes…………
Cinday Blackburn on March 2, 2009 at 8:29 AM
LADIES?!?!?!?! In Hollywood?? Go figure…
/sarc
OmahaConservative on March 2, 2009 at 8:31 AM
A hot American reporter held incommunicado in Iran…
A Canadian/Iranian photojournalist was held like this a couple of years ago… she was beaten to death in prison.
Frozen Tex on March 2, 2009 at 8:31 AM
I almost fell out of my chair when I heard the mullahs are ticked because of a scene in the Wrestler where the Iranian flag is torn up. I’ve been watching those bast*rds burn the American flag for thirty freakin’ years. We’ll apologize, as long as the next time you burn the American flag, you are simultaneously using it as a turban.
trubble on March 2, 2009 at 8:31 AM
I’ll trade them , keep the lose change..
the_nile on March 2, 2009 at 8:33 AM
Well,this will be interesting,and a TEST for Obama!
First off,Obama has disrespected a female journalist
in America itself,during his Presidential campaign as
in calling her ‘Sweety’!
Now,the Liberals have accused the Bush administration,
with zero evidence of targetting ‘journalists’,an example,
is the hotel in Bagdad during the initial envasion!!
Now,either,Obama throws her under da bus,or Hopey tells
Iran,to cough her up,like now!
If Obama sits on this one,then its plain as day,he favours
Iran,and the Gaza goons,as Hilrod wants a State for the Palistene’s first in any peace deal with Bi Bi!!
And maybe this is what Biden was refering to,during the
election!!
And don’t forget about the Canadian journalist that was
killed in Iran,———————-
and the Iranian Goons said she fell in the jail!!!!!!!
————————–
—————————
Advice to Obama,drop the hammer on Iran,or let them keep
killing(Murdering) American and Canadian Citizens!
canopfor on March 2, 2009 at 8:33 AM
Tell Iran to send this one back & we’ll let them keep Annette Benning.
DwnSouthJukin on March 2, 2009 at 8:33 AM
Mark Levin’s explanation of Obama’s policy:
Yet more proof that Obama is Carter 2.0.
Glenn Jericho on March 2, 2009 at 8:34 AM
If she is still alive the poor girl probably has no chance.
You read my mind.
boomer on March 2, 2009 at 8:37 AM
Just trying to take the high road. It’s a struggle.
Considering who is over there, I agree with that trade. Let’s even advance some cash.
Cindy Munford on March 2, 2009 at 8:38 AM
And I almost fell out of my chair when I heard there was such a scene in a Hollywood film. I guess I’ll have to see it now.
Disturb the Universe on March 2, 2009 at 8:39 AM
And we’ll promise to send more Hollywooders over the coming months.
genso on March 2, 2009 at 8:39 AM
I feel very bad for this young woman’s family. What kind of bass ackwards administration would allow a bunch of idiots from Hollyweird to visit an enemy of America? If the Iranians decide to hold them also, what is the smartest President evah and his administration going to do then?
kingsjester on March 2, 2009 at 8:39 AM
One more example of the failed policies and discredited theories of the past.
moxie_neanderthal on March 2, 2009 at 8:39 AM
In my “reading for comprehension” did I miss the part where she was buying a bottle of wine? I didn’t hit all the links so maybe it’s in there but it was I heard on television news.
Cindy Munford on March 2, 2009 at 8:40 AM
Hostage situation redux. Obviously not of the scale during the Carter years, but a test of Obama’s spine. Iran has a playing chip and are betting they can embarrass Team Obama.
Shouldn’t be too hard.
AnonymousDrivel on March 2, 2009 at 8:40 AM
My guess is, Hollywood will apologize. That will set the groundwork for Obama’s apology to follow.
But I’m beginning to think there is a silver lining to all this. How could we (the usually silent, traditional,conservative citizens) finally get the change we’ve been waiting for for years without the kinds of provocations that Obama and CO. are now doing daily. When the blowback comes, it will be fierce. My own very liberal family is part of the problem, and I willingly consign them to their fate.
JiangxiDad on March 2, 2009 at 8:40 AM
Let’s make a list. Just kidding.
Cindy Munford on March 2, 2009 at 8:41 AM
Unclenching their fist and smacking us upside the head. Perhaps Spicoli can go over and reason with his buds.
JammieWearingFool on March 2, 2009 at 8:41 AM
And didn’t Mickey Rourke just win some award from his “peers?”
genso on March 2, 2009 at 8:41 AM
I hate most of these so-called Hollywood “ladies”. I wonder what Obama would do if they detained them?
Did anyone hear about journalists captured in Pa-KEE- stawn who they are threatening to kill in 4 days?
becki51758 on March 2, 2009 at 8:42 AM
on the same day Hollywood idiots are meeting in Iran.
rob verdi on March 2, 2009 at 8:42 AM
I’m sure B. Hussein Obama-Mugabe will handle this situation every bit as well as he has everything else.
Which means her family might as well hold the funeral service, because she’s not coming back.
NoDonkey on March 2, 2009 at 8:42 AM
Ya know,it’ll be awful nice when the geo-syn orbiting laser cannon is operating online weapon platform,
or give Iran a few hours to produce said journalist,
or have one of their under-ground nuclear projects,
a huge,smoking,gapeing hole!!!!!(Snark)Ahem.
canopfor on March 2, 2009 at 8:43 AM
I haven’t been to a theater since I took my nieces to see Toy Story. About the only way I know about any of those people is from their stupid comments. My list is nearly all inclusive.
genso on March 2, 2009 at 8:44 AM
Gosh, I sure hope nothing happens to them. That would be terrible.
The good news is that if the Iranians find them nearly as irritating and useless as I do, they’ll throw them on a plane and ship them back.
After all, why would they want to keep them and prevent them from continuing to destroy this country, from within?
NoDonkey on March 2, 2009 at 8:45 AM
An eerily reminiscent scenario from the Carter years. If she can stay alive for 4 years, perhaps the Iranians will free her days before (insert your favorite conservative president)’s inauguration in 2013.
genso on March 2, 2009 at 8:47 AM
held incommunicado
Can we do that here with most of the MSM?
Joan of Argghh on March 2, 2009 at 8:49 AM
I read about this somewhere else yesterday. There was a big emphasis on the bottle of wine in that article. Is there an issue with women buying alcohol in Iran? or is that just an excuse to kidnap her?
kelley in virginia on March 2, 2009 at 8:50 AM
There are parts of my own city into which i will not venture. She is an arrogant fool who may give the nutjobs a win.
OldEnglish on March 2, 2009 at 8:50 AM
kelley in virginia on March 2, 2009 at 8:50 AM
Your answers are probably yes and yes.
kingsjester on March 2, 2009 at 8:51 AM
NoDonkey
terrible indeed.
rob verdi on March 2, 2009 at 8:51 AM
I agree with OldEnglish: this woman was either very brave or completely stupid to be in Iran, especially after her “cover” (journalist creds) were revoked.
kelley in virginia on March 2, 2009 at 8:52 AM
The axis of evil.
BHO needs to sit & chat with AckMyDumbJihad over coffee about this.
jgapinoy on March 2, 2009 at 8:52 AM
Sorry, I try to reserve the word ladies for the tough and smart women I have respect and admiration for. Conservatives, such as you…
OmahaConservative on March 2, 2009 at 8:53 AM
In most wildly Muslim countries, alcohol is illegal.
Just another fun part of living in their craphole countries.
No wonder they’re so passionate about death. Ruled by lunatic mullahs and not even allowed to have a drink to forget about it for a spell.
NoDonkey on March 2, 2009 at 8:53 AM
Not really. I’m pretty sure they have strong private property laws.
JiangxiDad on March 2, 2009 at 8:55 AM
Women aren’t allowed to do most anything in Iran. There are parts of the country that are more liberal than others, but usually around election time the mullahs crack down on those parts too.
myrenovations on March 2, 2009 at 8:55 AM
Yeah, right, just as soon as he is done hugging himself for being so fabulous and brave for kissing another man.
Wasn’t Penn a citizen journalist in Iran a few years back, appearing with at least one Iranian female journalist?
CarolynM on March 2, 2009 at 8:57 AM
At 15, they’re permitted to get gang raped and hung for it.
But who are we to judge?
NoDonkey on March 2, 2009 at 8:57 AM
You are to nice. I am older and Southern, I can’t help myself.
Cindy Munford on March 2, 2009 at 8:57 AM
How sad.
If they are doing to her what I think they are doing, I hope, for her sake she Is dead.
I pray for her safety and hope they let her go. Her parents should never have kept quiet.
bridgetown on March 2, 2009 at 8:58 AM
The woman ought to be charged the cost of all the hoopla to get her released! Then she can be on the cover of Newsweek. Meanwhile she is just like one of those irresponsible home mortgage borrowers. She undertook a job that she had no business taking!
kens on March 2, 2009 at 8:59 AM
My friend’s mother from Kuwait was waiting in a parked car while her husband was in a bank in Saudi Arabia, and she went to move it since it was double parked. She was arrested for driving while female.
OmahaConservative on March 2, 2009 at 8:59 AM
I haven’t contributed to their coffers willing in a long time either. I was going to go to Taking Chance, which turned out to be on HBO, but I will buy it in May. Besides, making a list would probably qualify as highjacking the thread.
Cindy Munford on March 2, 2009 at 9:00 AM
Obama won’t get involved. Neither will Hillary.
Greg Toombs on March 2, 2009 at 9:00 AM
The Archbishop of Canturbury was right : we need to incorporate sharia law. You can’t make this sh ite up.
Fuquay Steve on March 2, 2009 at 9:01 AM
Indeed, death would surely be better than what is likely happening to her.
Pretty naive of her to buy a bottle of wine though, if she wasn’t set up; and what happened to the person who sold it to her?
Grafted on March 2, 2009 at 9:01 AM
I have many more important things to think about than Hollywood. Like, do I wear a red shirt today or a green one?
genso on March 2, 2009 at 9:02 AM
I’m thinking that the Obama administration will stay quiet on the whole thing and then direct their friends in the media to stay quiet on it until the story fades away.
myrenovations on March 2, 2009 at 9:03 AM
Well, it will just give the B. Huseein Mugabe’s State Department kiddie corps something to do in between taking bribes for peddling classified information.
Once State fellates every single mullah and drops a bag of cash on their desk, Mayor Daley style, I’m sure they’ll be in the mood to send her back, at some point and with most of her parts still assembled somewhat correctly.
NoDonkey on March 2, 2009 at 9:03 AM
I was shocked to see one could actually buy a bottle of wine over there.
OmahaConservative on March 2, 2009 at 9:04 AM
if the NOW or witches of Maine or Barbara Boxer or that hag Feinstein would say something about a woman being held captive, then maybe bambi would be forced to do something. otherwise, he will do nothing.
kelley in virginia on March 2, 2009 at 9:07 AM
This is a test.
Obama and Hillary will pass this test.
From the Iranians point of view.
Greg Toombs on March 2, 2009 at 9:10 AM
Funny, Reagan knew how to resolve these problems…I thought Obama was “Reaganesque”.
Kadafi became very passive after he felt “Reaganesque”…however, that won’t work now because Libya never liked us anymore, and we can’t have that.
right2bright on March 2, 2009 at 9:14 AM
They are much too busy promoting world-wide abortion rights.
OmahaConservative on March 2, 2009 at 9:14 AM
Or a set-up. Rahm is a devious little SOB.
fogw on March 2, 2009 at 9:14 AM
Well, B. Hussein Obama-Mugabe has assured us that the only evil and unreasonable people in this world are American-Republicans, so I’m sure this will all be resolved quickly and easily.
NoDonkey on March 2, 2009 at 9:15 AM
I was attending University during the hostage crisis. We had a big engineering department and that school had many Iranian students. I will never forget my rage the day they rallied on the quad in front of the library shouting their hatred and death threats towards Americans. The American kids (including me) gathered around in a crowd, looking at them and thinking WTF? you are here on a visa attending our American University! FU!
They have not changed. I was a lib student back then, but that experience planted seeds of true conservativism in me.
I hope she gets out alive.
small town girl on March 2, 2009 at 9:26 AM
I don’t know…that seems kind of harsh. My reaction is more that she’s being held because she is an American so we need to try to secure her release.
CarolynM on March 2, 2009 at 9:26 AM
They neglected to mention she fell after being beaten unconscious…
repeatedly.
oldleprechaun on March 2, 2009 at 9:28 AM
Of course, that’s just the reaction the Iranians want us to have. I’m with JiangxiDad. No need to hold the entire country hostage over this.
genso on March 2, 2009 at 9:30 AM
Them savage bastards are reminiscent of cave men.
OmahaConservative on March 2, 2009 at 9:31 AM
Perfect example that good looks don’t translate into common sense.
Alden Pyle on March 2, 2009 at 9:33 AM
She’s Iranian. She wanted to lived like an Iranian.
She got her wish.
Dumb parents.
Dumb girl.
Plenty of more intelligent people to worry about.
profitsbeard on March 2, 2009 at 9:35 AM
You two are probably right.
CarolynM on March 2, 2009 at 9:37 AM
They’re doing crap like this and they don’t even have nukes yet.
So when they kidnap a few American soldiers from Iraq, spirit them across the border, claim they were in Iran doing secret spy ops and they have nukes because B. Hussein Obama-Mugabe lets them, what are we going to do?
Besides blame Bush I mean.
Maybe we can hold a candlelight vigil.
Presuming that we can still produce candles at that point, stock market’s under 6,000 under B. Hussein Obama-Mugabe’s brilliant economic stimulus, candles might be precious in a few months.
NoDonkey on March 2, 2009 at 9:39 AM
I value her life and safety as I would any American,and pray she’s okay. With that said, I don’t see the commander in speech doing anything unless he or his PR people can turn this into a TIME photo-op.
RepubChica on March 2, 2009 at 9:43 AM
Here’s an article she wrote for antiwar.com. You may draw your own conclusions.
Roxana Saberi
Greg Toombs on March 2, 2009 at 9:50 AM
She can write whatever she wants to write. She’s young. But secure her release and bring her back home. Scr#ew Iran.
Archie Noble on March 2, 2009 at 9:57 AM
She writes about Lebanon’s Christian “minority” but is clueless about how that came to be.
After Saturday comes Sunday!!
JiangxiDad on March 2, 2009 at 9:59 AM
thomasaur on March 2, 2009 at 10:06 AM
I fear she may be going under the wheels of Obama’s shiny new ‘Foreign Policy’ bus.
EnglishMike on March 2, 2009 at 10:10 AM
I bet those Holywood skanks have fled the country already. No telling what those Iranians would do to them. Remember in Braveheart when Longshanks says, “It might be my head in a basket”?
bloggless on March 2, 2009 at 10:10 AM
thomasaur on March 2, 2009 at 10:06 AM
Back in the early ’80′s, there was a lady who attended my church. She had been an English Professor at the University of Tehran and her husband was an Engineer. They had 2 kids. They were friends of the Shah. He went back to Iran to visit family and was never heard from again. If they killed their own educated people, they will certainly kill others. I hope her family was against her going over there.
kingsjester on March 2, 2009 at 10:14 AM
I’m with Toombs, on this one. Anybody that writes for some lefty anti-war rag shouldn’t be prioritized. I sure wouldn’t. She knew full-well what the Iranian gov’t was all about, but thanks to her “I’m a reporter, they won’t mess with me mentality”, she’s up the creek. She went there and blatantly violated the laws of a nation known the world over for hostility and violent, murderous oppression.
No sympathy, here, either.
Why don’t the lefties make a federal case out of it, like the ones they’re itching for the chance to slap on former President Bush and Vice President Cheney? That’d teach Tehran a thing, or two.
Virus-X on March 2, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Nonsense, we should hang the capture of this woman around Obama’s neck ASAP.
Make him look weak and indecisive (as he is) and make him do something or get the hell out of the way.
Because the next time, it might not be some lefty reporter, it might be an American soldier.
NoDonkey on March 2, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Doesn’t North Dakota limit the pageant to “natural born citizens” as that term is defined in the Constitution? Just askin’
tommylotto on March 2, 2009 at 10:42 AM
ICAM. Stupidity doesn’t qualify her for beheading.
OmahaConservative on March 2, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Exactly. Otherwise, Hollywood would be putting out a lot of headless horseman movies and little else.
The Iranians are testing Obama-Mugabe and it’s pretty certain he will be a spectacular failure at this, as he has been at everything else (other than getting his worthless ass elected).
NoDonkey on March 2, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Megyn Kelly is talking about the Hollywood Eight and how Tehran gave them an icy reception. Stupid fools.
OmahaConservative on March 2, 2009 at 11:00 AM
If she is considered a hostage we won’t see her until after the next election, just like with Jimmy Carter and his helicopters burning in the desert.
workingforpigs on March 2, 2009 at 11:11 AM
I was a bit surprised to see that alcohol was available anywhere in Iran. I really hope this girl comes home alive and unharmed and with a new outlook on this country that is ruled by the “religion of peace”. But even if she doesn’t have the new outlook, I still hope she comes back home alive and well.
4shoes on March 2, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Looks like the Iranians figure they have another Jimmy Carter to deal with.
I bet they’re right.
PattyJ on March 2, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Someone get Sean Penn on the phone, stat! Perhaps he can broker a deal for Barry on this one?
Wyznowski on March 2, 2009 at 12:18 PM
I think Obama-Mugabe may make us look with nostalgia at Jimmy Carter.
Economic malaise at home and spineless, rudderless foreign policy.
Hope and Spare Change.
NoDonkey on March 2, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Roxana went to Iran and broke the law.Dont go to another
country and break the law.Dont Be mad when Iran rapes
and stones Roxana to death.I dont care its to bad.You dont
have any rights in the hell hole Iran.Dont go to Iran.
Denniscat on March 2, 2009 at 1:16 PM
I disagree … you have whatever rights your own country will enforce.
During the 19th Century, a native in any part of the European Empires would not even consider attacking a European or American.
This can be fixed with some brutal application of negative re-enforcement.
If an American get kidnapped, 10 Iranians need to get kidnapped … preferable ones that will cause Iran the most grief. If said American “falls down the stairs” in prison, then the hostages taken need to meet the same fate.
Wash, rinse, and repeat until the government officials of nation in question learn to not do this.
Kristopher on March 2, 2009 at 1:45 PM
I’m sure no search is needed. I expect that the US knows exactly where she’s being held, as well as her current condition.
unclesmrgol on March 2, 2009 at 1:46 PM
Thanks Mrs. Clinton, for taking time out of your busy day to chat with us.
NoDonkey on March 2, 2009 at 1:57 PM
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