Isa Saharkhiz and his son Mehdi haven't seen each other in nearly a decade. But the dream of a reunion between the dissident journalist and his 32-year-old son came one step closer to fruition when Iranian authorities unexpectedly released the elder Saharkhiz last week after imprisoning him for more than four years. "Yes, it was a surprise," said Saharkhiz, speaking by phone to CNN from his home in Tehran. The longtime critic of the Iranian regime described how last Thursday, a prison official made an unannounced visit to the hospital room where he had been detained for months due to his deteriorating health conditions.
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Dissident journalist recently released from prison
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Isa Saharkhiz had criticized country's supreme leader
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His son, Mehdi, lobbied for his release from the U.S.
@placeholder has lived in the United States for many years, and last year became a naturalized American citizen.