Robert Young Pelton on American Hikers Arrested in Iran

We asked our resident expert on the world’s most dangerous places, Contributing Editor Robert Young Pelton, for his take on the three American hikers who got arrested when they stumbled into Iran. Pelton has written numerous books on no-go zones and has found—and gotten out of—trouble in Afghanistan, Iraq, Liberia, Chechnya…basically anywhere with war, kidnapping, smuggling, or other covert activities. Currently trolling the waters surrounding Alaska (even Pelton needs a vacation), here’s what he had to say:

The hikers will be swapped for favors or perhaps even quietly swapped for others, if at all. Iran is a tough country because there are no U.S. diplos there. They typically go through another embassy for talks. That area is great for hiking—if you need a few months in prison. Even if you don't stray they will grab you and say you were inside their border. I hate hiking anyways since my last hike was done mostly at gunpoint. 

We'll be keeping tabs on the American hikers as we learn more about their situation.

Photograph courtesy of comebackalive.com