Iran releases American detainee amid escalating fighting with the U.S., Trump says

President Trump said Wednesday that Iran released an American woman who had been wrongfully detained since December 2024. Why it matters: The release comes as Trump weighs expanding U.S. military strikes on Iran. Tehran has taken similar steps in the past as a way to de-escalate tensions with the U.S. What he's saying: "She is now safely outside of Iran, and in good condition," Trump wrote Wednesday evening on Truth Social, without disclosing the woman's identity. "The United States of America appreciates this gesture of Goodwill by Iran!" Flashback: Last August, the New York Times reported that an Iranian-American dual national who worked for a U.S. technology company and also ran a charity for children in Iran had been detained in Iran in December 2024. She was later released from prison, but the Iranian authorities confiscated her passports and didn't allow her to leave the country. She was later charged with espionage. Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.