Former Hostage Negotiator Warns: Iranians Are Among World’s Toughest Negotiators

A former lead hostage negotiator who served under both the first Trump and Biden administrations has issued a stark warning about negotiations with Iran, describing Iranian officials as more difficult negotiators than their counterparts in Russia, China, and even the Taliban.

Roger Carstens, the U.S. former Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, revealed in an interview with Fox News that six American citizens remain detained in Iranian prisons, all previously held in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, known for its harsh conditions. He cautioned that Iranian authorities will likely use these American hostages as “sweeteners” to gain leverage as the United States pursues nuclear agreements and a permanent ceasefire.

“Strangely, the Russians, the Chinese, the Taliban, the Venezuelans, when you start getting into hostage discussions, they tell the truth and they stick to what they promise. You can do a handshake deal with the Taliban, and they’re going to follow through,” Carstens explained. “The Iranians. Absolutely not.”

Carstens emphasized the particular challenges of dealing with Iran, describing them as negotiators likely to pull a “fast one” until the very last moment. “You cannot trust the Iranians up until the last second,” he warned. “If you were landing a plane in either Geneva or even Tehran, to get your Americans, you better be out there with a clipboard making sure that the people coming on the plane are the people that you bargained for.”

While Carstens maintains confidence that U.S. negotiators can eventually secure the return of the six detained Americans, he underscored that Iran represents a unique challenge compared to other foreign governments he has engaged with during his diplomatic career.

Only two of the American hostages have been publicly identified. Kamran Hekmati, 61, is a Jewish American who also holds Iranian citizenship. He was imprisoned 11 months ago after being charged and convicted for having visited Israel within the past decade. The second identified detainee, Reza Valizadeh, 49, also holds dual Iranian-American citizenship. Valizadeh previously worked for the U.S.-funded Radio Farda, where he covered corruption and election manipulation in Iran. He was arrested in September 2024 while visiting family and was subsequently sentenced for allegedly working with a hostile government.

Carstens suggested it was unlikely that American and Iranian officials had time to discuss the release of the six Americans during the recent 21-hour marathon peace talks in Pakistan. “I think the Iranians are going to be smart enough to keep these people healthy and ready to throw on to a negotiating table,” he said. “The question in my mind during these negotiations is not whether they’ll be at risk or pulled off, but rather, what’s it going to take, and how will we, the United States, value them?”

Notably, President Donald Trump has not included the release of American hostages among his four stated objectives for ending the conflict with Iran. Carstens is advocating for hostage release to be added as a fifth objective in any negotiations.

“Let’s make this an official ask, and when we go in, not only ask for it officially, but hold ourselves accountable to getting the job done,” Carstens urged. “The good news is Trump has a great record in bringing Americans home.”

The stakes in these negotiations remain high, with hostage families anxiously awaiting movement on their loved ones’ cases. Evin prison, where the Americans were previously held, has been documented as a site of significant human rights abuses over many years.

A senior White House official told Fox News Digital that future peace talks with Iran are under discussion, though nothing has been formally scheduled at this time. “President Trump is always concerned about Americans detained abroad, which is why he has brought over 100 individuals — a record number — home from around the world,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement.

As geopolitical tensions continue to evolve in the region, the fate of these six Americans remains uncertain, highlighting the complex interplay between nuclear diplomacy, regional security concerns, and humanitarian issues in U.S.-Iran relations.