Iran state TV English channel anchor held in US

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – The elder son of an American-born news anchor for Iran’s state television broadcaster says his mother is being held in the United States, but has not been charged with anything.

Marzieh Hashemi’s son, Hussein Hashemi, tells The Associated Press that he’s been told his mother is being held as a material witness, but she’s in prison and has been assigned an inmate number.

Interviewed by phone Wednesday from Washington, he also says that he and his brother and sister have been subpoenaed to testify to a grand jury, but he doesn’t know what about.

Marzieh Hashemi was born Melanie Franklin of New Orleans but has lived in Iran for decades, working 25 years for Iran’s state broadcaster.

Hussein Hashemi says she was detained Sunday, as she was leaving St. Louis for Denver. He says she had filmed a Black Lives Matter documentary in St. Louis after visiting family in New Orleans.

Press TV has held a news conference and launched a hashtag campaign for Hashemi.