President Donald J. Trump holds a press conference at the 2026 NATO Summit, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at the Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, Turkey. (Official White House photo by Daniel Torok)

In the midst of war with Iran, President Donald Trump has obtained freedom for an American detained there improperly two years ago.

President Trump says Iran has released an American woman detained since 2024. Her identity is not immediately clear. pic.twitter.com/qCJ2FIP4Qk

— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) July 15, 2026

Trump confirmed the release on Truth Social.

A commentary at RedState said, “President Donald Trump seems to have a great talent for getting Americans who have been held by hostile powers overseas home. We’ve seen many examples of it over his time in office. But pulling it off with Iran, in the midst of the current military conflict, may just be the most amazing rescue yet.”

Online reports identified the woman as Dena Karari, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen who was visiting relatives there in 2024 when her passport was confiscated and she was denied permission to leave.

🚨 Who is the American woman Iran just released?

She has been identified by her lawyer as Dena Karari, a dual U.S.–Iranian citizen who was prevented from leaving Iran after visiting family in December 2024.

Karari reportedly worked for a U.S. technology company and also ran a… pic.twitter.com/5VvWvei318

— NGO-SUGAR (@ngosugartp) July 16, 2026

She reportedly is a California resident who was falsely accused of espionage.

After more than a year trapped in Iran, dual Iranian American citizen Dena Karari has finally been released and is on her way home to the United States. Karari, a California resident, had her passport confiscated while visiting family in Shiraz in December 2024 and was prevented… pic.twitter.com/HYZ2S9s61i

— Travis Hawley (@talk2trav) July 16, 2026

Her lawyer, Jared Genser, said she had been detained over her work with an American nonprofit helping impoverished children.

Genser said Karari was targeted because of her links to the Children of Mehr Foundation, a U.S.-registered nonprofit that provides books, literacy programs and other humanitarian assistance to impoverished children in rural Iran.

She reportedly was interrogated dozens of times by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security.

Bob Unruh

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades with the Associated Press, as well as several Upper Midwest newspapers, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and homicidal survivalists. He is currently a news editor for the WND News Center, and also a photographer whose scenic work has been used commercially. Read more of Bob Unruh's articles here.