Who Is Nizar Zakka? Iran To Free US Resident Jailed For Spying

A Lebanese national and U.S. resident who is in an Iranial jail after being convicted on charges of espionage for the United States in 2015, is to be released.

Nizar Zakka, a a 52-year-old resident of Washington D.C. and a Green Card holder, was arrested in September 2015 during a visit to Iran for a conference on women and sustainable development. The Iran government had alleged Zakka of having deep ties with military and intelligence services of the United States, a country that Tehran regards as an arch rival.

Iran’s ambassador to Beirut expressed Iran's readiness to receive any Lebanese delegation at any time for the extradition of Nizar Zakka following a request from Lebanese President Michel Aoun, NBC News reported quoting the Lebanese foreign ministry.

The request for pardon was a goodwill gesture for the Muslim festival Eid that marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

According to The National, Zakka -- a Lebanese IT expert and specialist in Arab information and communications -- was in 2016 fined $4.2 million on espionage charges, which he had denied, and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was reportedly held in the notorious Evin prison, where British-Iranian mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is imprisoned.

A State Department spokesman said on the condition of anonymity that the matter is between Lebanon and Iran. “We welcome the release of any unjustly held foreign detainees in Iran. It would be a good day for the Zakka family if Mr. Zakka is allowed to return home to Lebanon,” he said.

It is believed that Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, the head of Lebanon’s internal security branch played a significant role in securing Zakka’s freedom. Ibrahim is well known for being tasked for undertaking difficult negotiations with the likes of al-Qaeda affiliates.

Zakka's official Twitter account thanked the Lebanese president and foreign minister for their efforts.

However, Nadim Zakka, one of Zakka’s three children said he wasn’t aware about any such progress in the case. Nadim said he had no idea about the recent developments.

Three months ago in February, Zakka had gone on an indefinite hunger strike and demanded Lebanon’s newly formed cabinet to commit to hostages in its policy statement.