Midday Roundup: Kerry says Abedini, others came up in Iran talks

Not forgotten. Secretary of State John Kerry said he advocated for the release of Americans detained in Iran at every meeting during nuclear negotiations with the country. “There was not a meeting that took place—not one meeting that took place, believe me that’s not an exaggeration—where we did not raise the issue of our American citizens being held,” Kerry said in an interview that aired this morning on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. He claimed he brought up the issue with Iranian foreign minister Jawad Zarif just before they announced the deal, and U.S. officials continue to work for the detainees’ release now that negotiations are over. Three Americans—pastor Saeed Abedini, Amir Hekmati, and Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian—are in prison in Iran. A fourth American, Robert Levinson, disappeared in Iran eight years ago. “It is unconscionable that the Obama administration would sign a deal with Iran without securing the freedom of Pastor Saeed, who has been imprisoned for nearly three years simply because of his Christian faith,” wrote Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice.

A question of motive. U.S. investigators are looking into trips that a Chattanooga, Tenn., man made to the Middle East before attacking military centers Thursday. Muhammad Abdulazeez, 24, previously traveled to Jordan and possibly Yemen, Reuters reported. Federal officials have so far found no link between Abdulazeez and foreign terror groups. They are scouring his computer for more insight into the plan and reason behind the attacks. A few days before, Abdulazeez wrote blog posts about his Muslim faith. “We ask Allah … to give us a complete understanding of the message of Islam, and the strength the live by this knowledge, and to know what role we need to play to establish Islam in the world.”

Mending fences. The Obama administration is hoping more military aid will mend fences with Israel over the Iran nuclear pact. National Security Advisor Susan Rice told Reuters that Defense Secretary Ash Carter is heading to Israel for talks about “how we might further deepen and strengthen our security and intelligence cooperation.” The United States gives Israel $3 billion a year in military aid. Israel reportedly would like that raised to $4.5 billion.

Eye on the sky. Pilots flying commercial aircraft over New Jersey have reported 43 handheld laser attacks in the past few days. When the beam of a laser pointer shines into the cockpit of a plane, it can disorient pilots and cause temporary blindness. “Those who have been subject to such attacks have described them as the equivalent of a camera flash going off in a pitch black car at night,” according to the Transportation Security Administration. Aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft is a federal crime. So far, no injuries have been reported in the most recent laser attacks.

WORLD Radio’s Jim Henry and The Associated Press contributed to this report.