Sen. Isakson Leads Hostage Crisis Victim Compensation Effort
Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson has successfully led a bipartisan effort to pay compensation to the Americans taken captive in the Iran Hostage Crisis.
Charles Dharapak / Associated Press
Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson has successfully led a bipartisan effort to pay compensation to the Americans taken captive in the Iran Hostage Crisis. Wednesday is the 35th anniversary of the hostages’ release, after they were held for more than a year.
“We know the suffering that took place and the sacrifice that took place,” said Isakson.
Iran initially took 66 people hostage, and ended up holding 52 people for 444 days.
Moorhead Kennedy, one of the former hostages, said the money will help bring closure, especially after feeling like he had been forgotten.
“We all had that feeling,” he said. “We were cheered, we were commended, and then everybody forgot about it.”
The former hostages received about $20,000 each in compensation soon after their release.
Now, each former hostage who is still living is eligible for $4.4 million. Spouses and children of former hostages who have passed away are eligible for a smaller amount. The money will come from a settlement with a French bank that violated economic sanctions against Iran, said Isakson.
Isakson said the timing of this money becoming available is not related to the nuclear negotiations with Iran or sanctions being lifted.
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