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State Department Challenges Ahmadinejad To Release 2 Remaining Jailed American Hikers

09/14/10 08:04 PM ET   AP

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Iran Hikers

WASHINGTON — The State Department wants Iran's president to bring two Americans still detained in Iran back to United States when he attends the U.N. General Assembly next week.

In a message posted on Twitter, department spokesman P.J. Crowley challenged Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to release Shane Bauer and Joshua Fattal and fly them to New York, where he will speak at the annual event.

The challenge came after Bauer and Fattal's companion, Sarah Shourd, was released from prison on Tuesday after more than a year in custody.

Crowley said in his Tweet that if he wanted to show good will to Americans, he would bring Bauer and Fattal home.

Bauer grew up in Onamia, Minn., and Fattal in Elkins Park, Pa.

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WASHINGTON — The State Department wants Iran's president to bring two Americans still detained in Iran back to United States when he attends the U.N. General Assembly next week. In a message po...
WASHINGTON — The State Department wants Iran's president to bring two Americans still detained in Iran back to United States when he attends the U.N. General Assembly next week. In a message po...
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Vaish Words
9 Fans
06:08 PM on 09/15/2010
I am very glad she has been released and hope the other two will also but is anyone else wondering what the heck these people were doing hiking in the middle of a war zone? I mean you don't just wake up one day and say, "Mom and dad I am going to take a vacation and go hiking in errrrrrrrrrrrrrr Iraq..."
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Karim2
33 Fans
11:20 PM on 09/14/2010
This challenge might have an opposite effect if Iran finds out about it.

Luckily Iran's government does not look at Twitters.

If US state department wants to open direct negotiations with Iran, the same message sent though a proper channel might have a positive effect, but not trough Twitters.
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