Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) lambasted the Obama administration for doing little to protect Americans being held in the Islamic Republic, telling the Washington Free Beacon in an interview Thursday that "it should come as no surprise Iran is continuing to try to work to murder Americans."
Cruz’s comments come on the heels of a Free Beacon report that the State Department had known since October that Iran had been planning to execute a dual Iranian-American citizen. A State Department official disclosed to the Free Beacon earlier this week that officials had known since Oct. 28 of reports that Hamid Samiee, a dual citizen, was set to be executed by the regime.
Samiee, who was accused of murder, was hanged by Iran on Tuesday, according to disclosures by a human rights organization with sources inside the country.
"This case was brought to our attention on October 28, immediately after the Foreign Interests Section at the Swiss Embassy in Tehran was notified of Mr. Samiee’s impending execution," according to the State Department. "We are not aware of any notification to the Department of State or the Swiss Foreign Interests Section of Mr. Samiee’s arrest, sentencing, or imprisonment prior to October 28. Iran does not recognize dual nationality."
As of Thursday afternoon, a State Department official was not able to provide any new information about the case or the circumstances surrounding Samiee’s situation.
In an interview with the Free Beacon following his speech Thursday at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s presidential candidates forum, Cruz said the case highlights the Obama administration’s failure to address the plight of Americans being detained by Iran.
"One of the most shameful things about this nuclear deal is that it does nothing for the American hostages who are languishing in Iranian prison cells, yet President Obama won’t even bring himself to say their names," Cruz said, referring to several U.S. citizens currently detained by Iranian authorities, including a Washington Post reporter.
At least two other Americans have been imprisoned by Iran since the nuclear deal was reached.
"The fact that they were aware of yet another American and did nothing is utterly unsurprising because it is consistent with the pattern of the Obama administration being willing to acquiesce to the ongoing acts of terrorism against America from Iran because President Obama believes he will have a domestic political achievement and politics trumps keeping this nation safe," Cruz said.
While negotiating the nuclear deal, and in the weeks since it was implemented, there has been "no indication that the administration has done anything to put pressure on the Iranians," Cruz said. There is "no indication the administration even tried to release a single hostage in the negotiations."
The circumstances surrounding Samiee’s execution remain murky.
The Iranian government has not cooperated with the administration’s attempts to learn more about the case, according to Mark Toner, the State Department’s spokesman.
"We’re continuing to ask the Iranian Government for more information," he told reporters on Wednesday. "As was pointed out yesterday, they don’t—they do not recognize dual citizens, so it’s—and it’s in a pretty opaque system in any case, but we’re trying to get, working through our Swiss protecting power, to get more information about the case."
The administration has not had any contact with members of Samiee’s family.
Samiee reportedly committed murder while living in the Los Angeles area, according to Iran Human Rights, the group that first disclosed reports of his execution.
"The execution is partly confirmed, by the Iranian authorities," said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the group’s spokesman. "I am sure the Swiss mission, who represents the U.S. interests in Tehran knows about the execution.
Little is known about the purported murder or when Samiee returned to Iran.
An official with the Los Angeles Police Department was not able to locate any records or Samiee or the alleged victim when asked by the Free Beacon.
However, a 2008 report from the Los Angeles Times discusses the murder of a man whose name matches the alleged victim having been found "shot to death" by the LAPD.
Amiry-Moghaddam said it is regrettable that the Obama administration was not able to help Samiee.
"I am sorry that the U.S. couldn't help to give this individual a fair process, but I hope the attention around this case will shed light on the catastrophic Judicial process and lack of rule of law in Iran and will hopefully help others who are waiting to be executed," he said.
The United States "should also give more attention to the less ‘high profile’ prisoners like this one," Amiry-Moghaddam said. "I think more attention and political pressure in this case might have saved his life."