Hostage Diplomacy: Deterrence and Support: Washington Forum 2024 : McCain Institute

Video shared by Baquer Namazi

Greetings,
This was my message after seeing the piece below. Baquer

Siamak jan, I am so proud of you. You were the real star to this very valuable event. I do think people like you and myself have much to contribute, perhaps we can do so more effectively through credible, independent, non-government institutions, preferably set up by coalition of former hostages. Our Lebanese friend seems to have made a start already. What do you say. your dad.
Baquer

Summary

Siamak Namazi, who was held hostage for 8 years in Irans hared his insights on hostage diplomacy, focusing on the US government’s strengths and weaknesses in supporting hostages and deterring hostage-taking. Namazi praised the government for appointing individuals like Ambassador Roger Carstens to the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs role, as such individuals are dedicated to bringing Americans home. However, he argued that the government’s support for returning hostages is lacking. There is, he claimed, little to no support for reintegration, other than reimbursement for therapy costs.

 
Throughout the discussion, Namazi maintained a tone of frustration and urgency about the need for more effective deterrence measures. This is particularly evident in his closing remarks where he criticised the government's reliance on "carrots" (positive incentives) over "sticks" (punishments) in dealing with hostage-taking states. Despite his criticism, Namazi maintained a respectful and appreciative attitude toward Ambassador Carstens and his team, recognizing their efforts and good intentions while also holding them accountable for the shortcomings in the system.

Quotes
“If you're going to have one takeaway from this talk today let it be this: God has a sense of humour, be very specific what you wish for as a child.”

Namazi read an excerpt from his personal diaries, written from the perspective of "prisoner 94146," which detailed his feelings and thoughts about his situation as a hostage in Iran. He prefaced the reading by saying, "it would be remiss of me to say that we've got it right, that we, that a hostage can just sit back and know that the government has their back. That is far from the truth."