London, 7 July 2026
ZSL (Zoological Society of London) is deeply troubled by reports of the detention of wildlife conservationists Sepideh Kashani and Houman Jowkar, together with Sepideh's sister, Sima Kashani, in Tehran on 1 July 2026.
Mr Jowkar and Ms Kashani are internationally respected experts on the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah, a subspecies now reduced to fewer than 30 individuals in the wild. Through years of fieldwork with the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation, they have made outstanding contributions to understanding and protecting one of the world's rarest large carnivores – work that includes Mr Jowkar’s role in bringing the Asiatic cheetah on to the jerseys of Iran’s national football team – seen by billions watching the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
As a science-based organisation, ZSL believes that at a time when the needs of the natural world are so urgent, conservation scientists and field practitioners must be able to carry out their work to protect threatened species without fear of arrest, intimidation, or prosecution.
We respectfully call on the relevant authorities to clarify the legal status and current whereabouts of Ms Kashani, Mr Jowkar, and Sima Kashani without delay, and to ensure they have immediate and unrestricted access to legal counsel, family contact, and any medical care they require.