American woman leaves Iran after exit ban, Trump says
Dena Karari is safe outside Iran and heading to the U.S. after being blocked from leaving since 2024, her lawyer Jared Genser said.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
2 min read
An American woman who had been unable to leave Iran since December 2024 is now out of the country, President Donald Trump and her lawyer announced Wednesday evening.
Trump did not identify the U.S. citizen in his post on Truth Social, but said Iran had allowed her to depart and that she was “safely outside of Iran” and “in good condition.” He described the move as a goodwill gesture by Iran.
Human rights lawyer Jared Genser later named the woman as Dena Karari, one of his clients. In a post on X, Genser said Karari had been trapped in Iran since December 2024 on what he called bogus charges and was traveling back to the United States.
Genser credited Trump for the release, saying it followed what he described as extraordinary and relentless efforts by the president.
Lawyer says Karari faced an exit ban
In a separate news release, Genser said Karari had been under what he called a coercive exit ban, though he said she was never physically detained.
Genser said Iran’s Intelligence Ministry interrogated Karari dozens of times over her work with the Children of Mehr Foundation, a nonprofit organization. According to Genser, the foundation helped impoverished children in Iran using private donor support and authorization from a license issued by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Genser also called on Iran to drop charges against Iranians who worked locally for the foundation.
Trump’s announcement came as tensions between Washington and Tehran remained high. NBC News reported that Trump has increased pressure on Iran in recent days and approved several new rounds of U.S. strikes.
Other Americans remain held in Iran
NBC News reported that as many as five other Americans are currently being held in Iran.
They include Reza Valizadeh and Kamran Hekmati, both of whom have been publicly designated by the State Department as wrongfully detained, according to NBC News.
The release marks a rare positive development between the two countries during a period of sharp confrontation. Trump framed Iran’s decision as a goodwill move, while Genser said Karari is now safe and on her way back to the United States.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.