Who You Gonna Call? Sean Penn! Actor/Activist Helped Free American Hikers Detained in Iran

Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer - the two American hikers who were detained in Iran for over two years - returned to American soil on Sunday. Both men were recently sentenced to eight years in Iranian prison, but after much pressure from supporters, politicians and activists, their sentences were lifted. Their list of thank yous surely stretches across multiple pages and includes one unexpected but familiar name - Sean Penn.

The actor, screenwriter, director and activist flew to Venezuela last week and asked President Hugo Chavez to intervene with Iran's leader, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Last Thursday Venezuela's deputy foreign minister told Reuters that Chavez - an enthusiastic critic of the U.S. - discussed the case with his Iranian ally after learning of the Americans' plight by friends in U.S. "intellectual circles."

"The American 'intellectual' who took up the case with him was Sean Penn," the source told Reuters, who added that "Penn was very committed to the case... He flew to Caracas several months ago to raise it with Chavez, and he kept on it."

Penn's spokeswoman confirmed his good-doing but declined to provide further details.