IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 430 

Calling on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately 

release Dr. Haleh Esfandiari. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 22, 2007 

Mr. VAN HOLLEN (for himself, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. GILCHREST, 

and Mr. ACKERMAN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Calling on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran 

to immediately release Dr. Haleh Esfandiari. 

Whereas Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, Ph.D., holds dual citizenship 

in the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran; 

Whereas Dr. Esfandiari taught Persian language and literature for many years at Princeton University, where 

she inspired untold numbers of students to study the rich 

Persian language and culture; 

Whereas Dr. Esfandiari is a resident of the State of Maryland and the Director of the Middle East Program at the 

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in 

Washington, DC (referred to in this preamble as the 

‘‘Wilson Center’’); 


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•HRES 430 IH 

Whereas, for the past decade, Dr. Esfandiari has traveled to 

Iran twice a year to visit her ailing 93-year-old mother; 

Whereas, in December 2006, on her return to the airport 

during her last visit to Iran, Dr. Esfandiari was robbed 

by 3 masked, knife-wielding men, who stole her travel 

documents, luggage, and other effects; 

Whereas, when Dr. Esfandiari attempted to obtain replacement travel documents in Iran, she was invited to an 

interview by a representative of the Ministry of Intelligence of Iran; 

Whereas Dr. Esfandiari was interrogated by the Ministry of 

Intelligence for 7 to 8 hours per day; 

Whereas the questioning of the Ministry of Intelligence focused on the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center; 

Whereas Dr. Esfandiari answered all questions to the best of 

her ability, and the Wilson Center also provided extensive 

information to the Ministry in a good faith effort to aid 

Dr. Esfandiari; 

Whereas Lee Hamilton, former United States Representative 

and president of the Wilson Center, has written to the 

President of Iran to call his attention to Dr. Esfandiari’s 

dire situation; 

Whereas Mr. Hamilton repeated that the Wilson Center’s 

mission is to provide forums to exchange views and opinions and not to take positions on issues, nor try to influence specific outcomes; 

Whereas the lengthy interrogations of Dr. Esfandiari by the 

Ministry of Intelligence of Iran stopped on February 14, 

2007, but she heard nothing for 10 weeks and was denied her passport; 


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•HRES 430 IH 

Whereas, on May 7, 2007, Dr. Esfandiari was summoned to 

the Ministry of Intelligence and taken immediately to 

Evin prison, where she is currently being held; 

Whereas the Ministry of Intelligence has yet to produce any 

evidence of wrong-doing on Dr. Esfandiari’s behalf to 

justify its actions toward her; and 

Whereas the Government of Iran should immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Esfandiari and all other individuals being detained for participating in the free exchange 

of scholarship and ideas: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) the House of Representatives calls on the 

3 Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to im4 mediately release Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, replace her 

5 lost travel documents, and cease its harassment tac6 tics; and 

7 (2) it is the sense of the House of Representa8 tives that— 

9 (A) the United States Government, 

10 through all appropriate means and diplomatic 

11 channels, should encourage the Government of 

12 Iran to release Dr. Esfandiari and offer her an 

13 apology; and 

14 (B) the United States should coordinate its 

15 response with its allies throughout the Middle 


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•HRES 430 IH 

1 East, other governments, and all appropriate 

2 international organizations. 

Æ 


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