New York: The mothers of three Americans detained in in July appealed to Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday to bring them with him to New York when he attends the UN General Assembly next week.
The mothers of Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27, sent a letter to Ahmadinejad to the Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York on Thursday, offering greetings for the holy month of Ramadan.
By sending the letter, the mothers are hoping to appeal to Ahmadinejad as a parent off three children for the release of the hikers. Iran detained the three after they strayed across the border from northern Iraq at the end of July. Their families say they were hiking and crossed over accidentally.
"We are, the mothers, all of us, are appealing to the president of Iran as a humanitarian appeal, as a father, that we want him to recognize we've been away from our children for 7 weeks, and we want our children near us," says Laura Fattal, mother of Josh Fattal, one of three American hikers detained in Iran since July.
"Well, we're looking at it more as the fact that he's a father, he's a parent, the same as we are, and we're appealing to him on that basis, that we really, really miss our children, and that he can understand how we must feel, not having heard from them for seven weeks now," says Nora Shourd, mother of Sarah Shourd.
With the UN General Assembly coming up next week, the three mothers think the timing is right.
"He is coming to New York, so we thought that would be a wonderful opportunity to bring the children with him," says Laura Fattal.
The letter, which was released publicly, incited the holiday of Ramadan, and stressed the humanitarian aspects of the holiday: "We understand that Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, compassion and forgiveness in the Muslim faith," it said. "Mr President, we implore you to bring Shane, Sarah and Josh with you when you visit our country next week to address the General Assembly of the United Nations," reads the letter.
Since the detainment of the three hikers, maintaining the pace of normal life has been difficult for the three women.
"Well, just on a day to day basis, it's been very up and down for us, very emotional," says Cindy Hickey, mother of Shane Bauer. "It's left a huge hole in my heart, and while we're waiting for his return, we're also having to continue our jobs and our life, and it's been very hard to do that."
Iran's President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is scheduled to speak at the United Nations General Assembly on September 23.
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