▁in ▁Iran . ▁ ▁Im pr ison ment ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Sh aker i ▁went ▁to ▁Iran ▁to ▁visit ▁his ▁mother , ▁who ▁was ▁ill ▁and ▁died ▁during ▁his ▁visit . ▁On ▁May ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁while ▁in ▁Iran ▁he ▁was ▁det ained ▁by ▁the ▁Iran ian ▁government , ▁one ▁of ▁four ▁Americans ▁det ained ▁by ▁the ▁Iran ian ▁government ▁in ▁a ▁short ▁period . ▁The ▁others ▁were ▁K ian ▁T aj b akh sh , ▁H ale h ▁Es f and i ari ▁and ▁Par n az ▁Az ima . ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁Iran ian ▁Student ▁News ▁Agency ▁confirmed ▁the ▁det ention . ▁He ▁was ▁released ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁three ▁were ▁also ▁released ▁" in ▁phases , ▁from ▁prison ▁or ▁allowed ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁country ▁... ▁in ▁the ▁run - up ▁to ▁President ▁A hm ad ine j ad ' s " ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁speech ▁before ▁the ▁United ▁Nations . ▁▁▁▁ ▁Sh aker i ▁called ▁the ▁American ▁Iran ian ▁Council ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 ▁to ▁thank ▁the ▁A IC , ▁and ▁its ▁members ▁for ▁diplom atic ▁actions ▁taken ▁to ▁gain ▁his ▁release ▁from ▁prison ▁in ▁Iran . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁foreign ▁national s ▁det ained ▁in ▁Iran ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁ ▁American ▁Iran ian ▁Council ▁ ▁Much - ad m ired ▁U