But this year, Rouhani s second visit to New York has been marred by a series of failures at home that have exposed his declining credibility both in Iran and on the world stage. As he arrives in New York, Iran s judiciary, which operates independently of his government, has tightened its grip on civil rights advocates, human rights activists and opposition figures. At least three American nationals remain behind bars in Iran, including the Washington Post s Tehran correspondent, Jason Rezaian, who is being kept in Tehran s Evin prison nearly two months after being arrested. Rezaian s detention has exposed the limits of Rouhani s power and his reluctance to speak out in support of prisoners of conscience in the country, including nearly 40 journalists and bloggers.