Iranian journalist travelling to visit ill brother arrested

iran_journalist Marzieh Hashemi | Facebook

An Iranian journalist who travelling to visit her ill brother has been arrested in the United States. US-born Marzieh Hashemi, is a journalist for Iran's English-language Press TV .

She was arrested on arrival at St Louis Lambert International Airport on Sunday, according to family and friends.

Currently in custody in Washington DC, no formal charges have been made against her.

Iran's foreign ministry in the meantime condemned her arrest and demanded that she be released immediately.

It added that Hashemi, a Muslim convert who changed her name from Melanie Franklin. All she had been offered to eat was pork, religiously forbidden for Muslims.

The broadcaster was due to hold a press conference on her case later on Wednesday.