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On July 16, news came out that an American graduate student at Princeton University named Xiyue Wang had been sentenced to 10 years in an Iranian prison for “espionage.” Wang studies 19th century Eurasian history, so it makes sense that he would want to access sources in Iran. He is alleged to have taken photographs of documents, which is exactly how historians do their research in archives today. As the news broke, Princeton finally issued an acknowledgement that he had been arrested and was there doing research for his dissertation at that university.
Over the last decade numerous American and British nationals of Iranian descent have been held, detained, jailed and even convicted at the hands of the Iranian regime. Some of the more well-known include: Washington Post reporter, Jason Rezaian; former U.S. marine, Amir Hekmati; businessman, Siamak Namazi, and his father; pastor, Saeed Abedini; and a British citizen, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was visiting her parents with her young daughter. Most of the American and British citizens known to have been arrested and convicted by Iran in the last decade were dual citizens or of Iranian descent.
Wang is not the first American student arrested by the Iranian regime in recent years, although he is the first to make national news. Matthew Trevithick, a graduate of Boston University, had a valid visa and was studying Farsi at Tehran University when he was arrested in December, 2015. He was held in Evin prison for 41 days before he was released along with Rezaian, Hekmati, Abediii and another Iranian American, Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari.
I understand why Wang traveled to Iran. I studied history and Near Eastern studies as an undergraduate at Princeton. As a doctoral student, also in history, at Boston University, I studied Farsi. 20th century Iranian history was integral to my dissertation. My professor encouraged me to travel to Iran to further my research. I chose not to precisely because I feared this situation, but there was a strong draw to make the trip. I understand completely why Wang chose to go.
However, with the news that the Iranian regime has convicted Wang in a closed “trial” and sentenced him to 10 years in prison, the game has changed . Wang, like Trevithick, is an American citizen and not of Iranian descent. He, like Trevithick, must have been granted a visa to travel there, meaning the Iranian authorities had approved his visit. Wang was apparently engaged in typical historical research in archives, and he came from a reputable and known international university. This action by Iran can only be explained by one of three possibilities: 1) It is a poke at the United States; 2) It is an attempt by the regime to demonstrate strength in front of its citizenry or 3) It is meant as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with the United States. In any case, this is a sign that Americans and others should stay away from Iran.
Although sanctions have been relaxed in the last year, people should not travel to Iran. Businesses should not seek opportunities with the Iranian regime or Iranian businesses. Universities should not send students or faculty to study or conduct research there. Iran has shown it does not want to play by international norms. In the contemporary world, countries are not supposed to arrest foreign travelers with valid travel papers to make political points. It is clearly not safe for foreign nationals. Moreover, this behavior should be shunned by the entire international community, including universities and multinational companies.
European companies in particular, though some American companies as well, have been enticed by prospects in a post-sanctions Iran. Foremost is the promise of oil and gas ventures in Iran. These businesses have also seen opportunities in an Iran that is in need of new infrastructure and equipment after years of sanctions. The French energy company,
