Footage aired on Iranian state television July 13 allegedly depicts Dr. Mohsen Dehnavi, a cancer researcher who was denied entry into the U.S. July 11, as head of the student branch of a voluntary resistance militia force, according to CBS News.
Part of the footage was from a previously aired Fars News Agency news report. It depicted Dr. Dehnavi being named the head of the Tehran, Iran-based Sharif University student branch of the Basij in September 2007, according to the report. The Basij is a volunteer resistance force linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard.
The state television footage also showed Dr. Dehnavi and his family returning to Iran from the U.S. after being detained at Boston Logan International Airport for more than 24 hours July 10. In comments to the television station, Dr. Dehnavi reportedly said his travel to the U.S. was solely for science and research purposes.
"[U.S. officials] kept me and my family under detention-like conditions for 28 [hours] to 30 hours in a room. They didn't allow us to call anyone or exit the room," Dr. Dehnavi allegedly told the television station. "The topic of our research was health and saving ill people fighting cancer from this dangerous disease, but they didn't allow us entry, despite, as I mentioned, all the efforts made by the American academic community."
Dr. Dehnavi was scheduled to begin work at Boston Children's Hospital. The hospital released a statement July 13, stating: "[Dr. Dehnavi] was due to come to Boston Children's as a visiting scholar on a J-1 visa. His visa had been approved by the [U.S. Department of State] prior to travel. Boston Children's has no additional information about the basis for denying Dr. Dehnavi entry to the U.S."
A spokesperson for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said July 11 Dr. Dehnavi and his family were detained and ultimately denied entry to the U.S. for reasons unrelated to President Donald Trump's executive order banning travelers from several predominantly Muslim countries. The spokesperson said the agency is "prohibited from discussing the details of any individual's admissibility inspection," according to the report.
Editor's note: Becker's Hospital Review reached out to Boston Children's Hospital for comment and will update the story with more information as it becomes available.