Wednesday, June 06, 2007 Van Hollen’s Resolution Calling for Release of Iranian-American Detainees Passes House Unanimously Yesterday, the House unanimously passed Resolution 430, which calls on the Government of Iran to immediately release Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, a U.S. citizen and resident of Potomac, Maryland and other dual Iranian- American citizens.   Shortly after filing its trumped-up charge against Dr. Esfandiari, the Iranian government also charged Kian Tajbakhsh, Parnaz Azima and Ali Shakeri with spying, a charge which under Iran's Islamic law is punishable by death.  Kian Tajbakhsh is a respected social scientist who is consulted by George Soros' Open Society Institute and the World Bank on public health, humanitarian relief, culture, and local government issues, Parnaz Azima is a Radio Farda journalist and Ali Shakeri is an Iranian businessman who is on the board at the University of California Irvine’s Center for Citizen Peacebuilding.   “These detainees have dedicated their lives to building bridges between the Americans and the people of Iran.  Their presence in Iran poses absolutely no threat to the people or the Government of Iran.  Claims by the Iranian government that they seek dialogue and improved relations with the West is belied by the actions they have taken with respect to these individuals,” says Rep. Van Hollen.   Representative Van Hollen’s resolution calls for the Iranian government to show that it is serious about building a better relationship with the United States and the people of the United States by immediately and unconditionally releasing these innocent Americans.