BEIRUT: The family of a Lebanese man detained in Iran since 2015 have held talks with several Lebanese officials to press for his release. A statement issued by the family’s lawyer Antoine Abu Dib on behalf of the family on Sunday said that Justice Minister Salim Jreissati is following up on the case of Nizar Zakka. Zakka's family had met with Jreissati seeking his help to release the man “who is unjustly detained in Iran." The statement said that Jreissati revealed during the meeting that he has been following up on the case since he assumed his post, pledging to end the case as soon as possible.

The statement, which was carried by the National News Agency, said that the family had also met President Michel Aoun and handed him an oral message from Zakka. They also met with General Security head Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, who gave the family “serious reassurances” about the case. Zakka is serving a 10-year prison sentence and faces a $4.2 million fine after a closed-door trial.Zakka, a resident of the U.S. at the time of his arrest, led the Arab ICT Organization, or IJMA3, an industry consortium.He had been invited to attend a conference in Iran on economic opportunity.He disappeared on Sept. 18, 2015. Several weeks later, Iranian state television reported he was in custody, charged with cooperating with the U.S. government.