Kerry ‘dismayed’ as Iran charges Washington Post journalist

US Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday he was “deeply disappointed” by reports that a US journalist jailed in Iran had been charged and denied bail more than four months after his arrest. Jason Rezaian (pictured), a Washington Post bureau chief in Tehran who holds dual US-Iranian citizenship, was charged Saturday after a 10-hour court appearance, the Post reports. But the specific accusations remain unclear, according to the newspaper, and it is not known when he will next appear in court.

I am personally dismayed and disturbed at these reports as I have repeatedly raised Jason’s case.

US Secretary of State John Kerry

Rezaian, 38, was arrested on July 22 with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, who was freed on bail in October. Last week, Iranian authorities said Rezaian’s detention would be extended for up to 60 days. Kerry said requests to access Rezaian in prison had been denied, and that his family was concerned for his health. It remains unclear why Rezaian, 38, and Salehi were arrested on July 22, though one conservative newspaper in Tehran has accused Rezaian of espionage. Rezaian’s detention has attracted considerable attention amid the ongoing talks between Iran and the United States and other world powers over the Islamic republic’s disputed nuclear programme.

Middle East Rezaian