5 years ago today I was freed from Evin prison in #Iran. @YeganehSalehi and I boarded a plane for a new life we couldn’t imagine. Isolated from most human contact and information for 544 days, I knew almost nothing about efforts to bring me home.

That began to change when we landed in Geneva. Waiting for us on the tarmac was @brett_mcgurk who, over 14 months, secretly negotiated our release. It almost fell through right at the end. He told us “someday I’ll tell you about the last 24 hours.”

I spent much of my time in my first months of freedom piecing together what had happened to me. True to his word, @brett_mcgurk and many other officials provided with me their accounts of working toward my release and the challenges and risks involved.

Through those conversations with dozens of people who were involved in efforts to free me & other Americans, and in nuclear negotiations with Iran, a portrait emerged of experienced & knowledgeable public servants doing what they believed was right for country & fellow citizens.