The families of Americans imprisoned in Iran are being buffeted by a sort of psychological warfare between adversarial states. Over the weekend, Iran’s foreign minister said a prisoner swap agreement between his country and the US has been brokered, and now the ball’s in America’s court – but Washington quickly quashed that. The State Department’s Ned Price called it “a cruel lie that only adds to the suffering of their families.” This follows the heartbreaking appeal made by Iranian-American Siamak Namazi when Christiane spoke with him from inside Evin prison last week. Today's first guest, Bill Richardson, has made it his mission to try to help – he’s a former cabinet secretary, US Ambassador to the UN, and a longtime interlocutor with regimes like Russia, North Korea, and more to secure the release of American captives. 

Also on today's show: Tara Tahbaz, the daughter of Morad Tahbaz, detained in Iran since 2019; Alexander Betts, author of “The Wealth of Refugees”; Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, Obesity Medicine Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital 

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