The family of a former United States Marine, who has been held in Iran for 555 days, renewed calls for his release on Tuesday, urging Iranian leaders to show mercy and free him, revealing his father is dying from cancer.

Amir Mirzai Hekmati, 29, who is a US citizen born in America to parents of Iranian origin, was detained in August 2011 while visiting his elderly grandmother on his first trip to Iran.

He was accused of being a CIA operative, charges which have been vigorously denied by his family and by the US State Department.

The family has now written to Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling for mercy to mark the Persian New Year, which falls on March 20.

“We want to emphasize that our family’s not political. We’re American citizens. Amir’s an American. We are not trying to involve ourselves in the politics between Iran and the US,” brother-in-law Ramy Kurdi told AFP.

Iranian authorities have in the past released prisoners as a goodwill gesture to mark the New Year, and Kurdi said it was the family’s “hope and prayer” that Hekmati would be among them.

His father, Ali, a microbiology professor in his early 60s, had an operation to remove a brain tumor several months ago and has undergone chemotherapy.

“He’s very strong, he’s very passionate about seeing his son again so we’re making great efforts to do that,” Kurdi said, adding Hekmati did not know his father was ill.

via Family of US Marine Held in Iran Calls for Mercy – Global Agenda – News – Israel National News.

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