Tension has been extremely high between The United States and Iran for several reasons. 

According to the Iranian court, Iranian American Amir Mirzaei Hekmati made attempts to gather information for the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). Iran has sentenced Amir to death upon charges of espionage and spying. Amir says that he was visiting family. A video has been released with Amir admitting to working for the agency. According to US officials Iran has used torture and threats to cause the victim’s family harm in the past.

This has not been the first hostage taking situation. Since 2007 Amir is the latest of 10 Americans to be held for Iranian political purposes. In 2009, three Americans hiked in Kurdistan Iraq and strayed slightly from the border. They were also arrested upon espionage charges.  Also in 2009 Roxanna Saberi, an American reporter was arrested for spying and was accused of infiltrating the Iranian government.

This past year the operation that eliminated Bin Laden was set into motion without consent of Iran. That action has angered Iran and recently with the events of Iran’s Uranium production increased to 25% and the capture of Amir Mirzaei Hekmati has seemingly been used to pressure Washington.