Payam Javan: Five Americans, who had been detained in Iran for years, tearfully reunited with their loved ones upon their arrival in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, following their release as part of a politically sensitive deal. The emotional homecoming took place in the predawn hours, with Siamak Namazi, the first to step off the plane, pausing to savor the moment. Their families, holding American flags and speaking both English and Farsi, enveloped them in warm embraces.

“The nightmare is finally over,” expressed Namazi’s brother, Babak, at the airport, highlighting the eight-year ordeal. Another freed American, Emad Sharghi, received a touching gift from his sister, a U.S. flag and a cherished stuffed animal, connecting past and present.

After their arrival on a Gulfstream 5 jet, the former detainees posed for a group photo with their families, jubilantly declaring “Freedom!” Their release was part of a deal orchestrated by the Biden administration, which also involved the unfreezing of nearly $6 billion in Iranian assets.

Some critics argue that the deal rewards Iran for its perceived misconduct.