The latest deadline for a nuclear deal with Iran has come and gone and surprise, surprise, surprise, the talks have now appear to have been extended indefinitely.

Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian’s time in captivity in Iran has also been extended indefinitely as his espionage trial has resumed in Tehran. Read what Saeed Kamali Dehghan has written in the Guardian about the proceedings:

There has been international condemnation of the prolonged detention of the 39-year-old, who was working in Iran with appropriate accreditation and has had two hearings since May. Iran has a history of jailing journalists working for the foreign press. Its intelligence authorities have a deep suspicion of citizens with dual nationality. Iran does not recognise dual nationality and thus treats Rezaian solely as an Iranian.

His case is being presided over by Abolghassem Salavati, a hardline judge notorious for issuing heavy sentences. Local and foreign media have been denied access to the trial and the reporter himself has been held largely incommunicado since his detention in July 2014.

Secretary of State John Kerry has asked the Iranian regime if they could release Rezaian pretty please. But Kerry’s words ring hollow as the captivity of Rezaian as well as that of three other Americans — Pastor Saeed Abedini, Amir Hekmati and Robert Levinson — has never been tied to the nuclear talks with Iran.

This should come as no surprise. The Obama Administration’s number one foreign policy objective has been a nuclear deal with Iran. If the Obama administration has to choose between the obtaining a nuclear deal with Iran and the lives of four Americans, we know what they would choose. Just ask the families of the four Americans killed in Benghazi.