Jailed Hikers: the Untold Story

The three Americans Iran has charged with espionage are not who you think they are.

By Kari Lydersen

In July of last year, Shon Meckfessel was debating whether or not to join his three friends on a hike in the mountains of Kurdistan in northern Iraq. In the hopes of fighting off a cold, Meckfessel ultimately decided to stay in a hotel, with plans to join them the next day.

That seemingly inconsequential decision saved Meckfessel from ending up in an Iranian prison, where his friends have spent the last year.