Lebanese IT Expert Held in Iran Asks Hariri for Help

Prime Minister Saad Hariri received a telephone call from Lebanese IT expert held in Iran, Nizar Zakka, asking him for the government's intervention to have him released from prison, Hariri's media office said on Friday.

Zakka, who has been held in Iran for nearly two years, described the difficult conditions of his detention and his deteriorating health and asked the Lebanese government to intervene to obtain his liberation.

Hariri told Zaka that his case is being followed up through the available diplomatic means.

Zakka, who has permanent U.S. residency, went missing on Sept. 18, 2015, during his fifth trip to Iran. Two weeks later, Iranian state TV reported that he was in custody and suspected of "deep links" with U.S. intelligence services.

Last September, Zakka was sentenced to 10 years in prison and handed a $4.2 million fine after being convicted of espionage by a security court.

Zakka's family denies the allegations. His brother said he had been invited to attend a conference at which President Hassan Rouhani spoke of sustainable development and providing more economic opportunities for women.

Zakka, who used to live in Washington, leads the Arab ICT Organization, or IJMA3, an industry consortium from 13 countries that advocates for information technology in the region.