LYON (euronews) — After almost four years imprisoned in Iran, Nizar Zakka was released on Tuesday. A Lebanese national, and US resident, Zakka had been accused of being an American spy while he was in Tehran for a conference in 2015. Iranian authorities never gave any additional details about the spying charges against the businessman.

Nizar Zakka spoke to Euronews from Beirut. “They never told me that I was a spy, they knew that I was not a spy. The spying charges and allegations were a game they were playing”, he said.

He recalled being arrested on his way to the airport:

They blindfolded me and took me to a place […] for 45 days, I didn’t know where I was.

They just told me that somebody took your passport and went back to Lebanon with your passport, so don’t expect anybody to ask for you... you are here, and you’re gonna stay here forever.

They told me they we’re going to kill me, they gave me some paper to write my will.

When you are detained by the revolutionary guard, you feel that you are gonna be dead, you will never see the free world again.

It is hoped Zakka’s released could pave the way for the release of more than a dozen dual nationals imprisoned in Iran.