Siamak Namazi, a US citizen jailed in Tehran, announced a seven-day hunger strike, starting on Monday, as he implored US President Joe Biden to put greater priority on his case.
"All I want, sir, is one minute of your days' time for the next seven days devoted to thinking about the tribulations of the US hostages in Iran," Mr Namazi wrote in an open letter to Mr Biden.
"Only the president of the United States has the power to bring us home, should he set his mind to do so."
Mr Namazi, 41, who is of Iranian descent, was arrested in October 2015 on charges, he denies, of trying to overthrow the clerical state.
Iran also imprisoned his father, Baquer Namazi, 86, after he flew there in 2016 to try to secure his son's release. He was allowed to leave Iran in October on medical grounds.
Siamak Namazi was granted furlough at the time but then returned to Tehran's infamous Evin prison, which since has witnessed a deadly fire.
He launched his hunger strike on the anniversary of Iran's release of five imprisoned Americans in 2016, the year after Tehran entered a nuclear deal with the US and other world powers.
Former president Donald Trump, who was elected later that year, pulled the US out of the deal in 2018, but his administration managed to obtain the release of two more Americans through prisoner swaps with Iran.
"My captors enjoy taunting me about that fact by saying things like, 'How can your beloved America be so heartless? Not one but two US presidents freed others but left you behind!'" Mr Namazi wrote in his letter.
The Biden administration sought to restore the nuclear deal and made it clear it could not go forward without the release of imprisoned Americans.
But Mr Biden has acknowledged that the deal was effectively dead after protracted negotiations and as attention turned to Iran's deadly crackdown on protests triggered by the death of a woman arrested by the morality police.
"Today the whole world is witnessing how atrociously this regime can respond to those who dare demand their basic rights," Mr Namazi said.
Iran's government generally refuses to acknowledge dual citizenship and on Saturday announced the execution of a British-Iranian citizen, Ali Reza Akbari, convicted of spying for his adopted country.
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Dubai Women's Tour teams
Agolico BMC
Andy Schleck Cycles-Immo Losch
Aromitalia Basso Bikes Vaiano
Cogeas Mettler Look
Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
Hitec Products – Birk Sport
Kazakhstan National Team
Kuwait Cycling Team
Macogep Tornatech Girondins de Bordeaux
Minsk Cycling Club
Pannonia Regional Team (Fehérvár)
Team Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Team Ciclotel
UAE Women’s Team
Under 23 Kazakhstan Team
Wheel Divas Cycling Team
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Keita 5', Firmino 26'
Porto 0
Virtuzone GCC Sixes
Date and venue Friday and Saturday, ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City
Time Matches start at 9am
Groups
A Blighty Ducks, Darjeeling Colts, Darjeeling Social, Dubai Wombats; B Darjeeling Veterans, Kuwait Casuals, Loose Cannons, Savannah Lions; C Awali Taverners, Darjeeling, Dromedary, Darjeeling Good Eggs
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
Revival
Eminem
Interscope
World Test Championship table
1 India 71 per cent
2 New Zealand 70 per cent
3 Australia 69.2 per cent
4 England 64.1 per cent
5 Pakistan 43.3 per cent
6 West Indies 33.3 per cent
7 South Africa 30 per cent
8 Sri Lanka 16.7 per cent
9 Bangladesh 0
