The Lebanese family of Nizar Zaka, who has been imprisoned in Iran for more than three and a half years, on Friday sent an open letter to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Jawad Zarif, who is visiting Beirut on Sunday and Monday. "We are the family of Nizar Zaka, who is being arbitrarily detained in Iran. We call upon you, with great urgency and away from the diplomatic niceties that you exercise, to immediately release our son Nizar, who has been arbitrarily detained in your prisons since September 2015 without charge." The Zakas family said Iranian government was clear when Shahindokht Molaverdi spoke on its behalf saying: “This is in no way approved by the government. We did all we could to stop this from happening, but we are seeing that we have failed to make a significant impact.” The family added, in response to this confession: "We must go directly to you without gloves, demanding that Nizars suffering be ended and the injustice done to him promptly, without delay, procrastination or delay, in order to preserve human dignity and the life of our son who lives a tragedy that shortens his life and destroys his family and children."