Published on May 20, 2026Last updated May 20, 2026
State Department says US resident returned home after spending 10 years in Iranian prison
An Iranian citizen with permanent residence in the United States has been released from an Iranian prison, the US State Department said on Wednesday.
A State Department spokesperson said, “The State Department gladly welcomes the safe return of Shahab Dalili from detention in Iran. Iran should immediately release all those unjustly detained.”
According to the Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA), “Shahab Dalili, an Iranian citizen and permanent resident of the United States, who was imprisoned in Evin Prison, was released after serving 10 years of his prison sentence. Following his release, he returned to the United States.”
Delili was arrested in 2016 when he traveled to Iran to attend his father’s funeral. He was jailed for allegedly “collaborating with a hostile government”, a charge he denies.
Speaking after DeLille’s release, the US State Department said that President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio “will continue to work for the release of all Americans unjustly detained.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5E2Uc
20 May 2026
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatens to expand war if attacked by US
Iran’s military threatened on Wednesday to “open new fronts” in war with the US and Israel.
“If the enemy is foolish enough to fall into the Zionist trap again and launch new aggression against our beloved Iran, we will open new fronts against him with new equipment and new methods,” army spokesman Mohammad Akraminiya told Iranian state news agency ISNA.
This statement comes just days after US President Donald Trump said that he would stop planned attacks against Iran in the hope of achieving a peace deal with Iran.
https://p.dw.com/p/5E2D4
Welcome to our coverage
Hello and welcome to DW’s coverage of the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran and broader developments in the Middle East this Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
Today we will follow the Iranian military’s threat to expand the conflict beyond the region in the event of new US attacks, as well as Iran’s release of a US permanent resident of Iranian origin.
Chinese President Xi Jinping also warned that further hostilities in the region would be “inappropriate” in comments made today while hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Meanwhile, Israel continued to attack Lebanon, where air strikes killed 19 and injured dozens.
https://p.dw.com/p/5E2C9