Tehran (AFP) – Iran said Saturday that four Iranian dual nationals had been freed as part of a prisoner exchange in line with national interests at the order of the country’s top security committee.
No names were immediately released in a statement from the judiciary outlining the decision, but among Iranian-American citizens in custody is Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post’s Tehran correspondent.
The announcement came as Iran and world powers led by the United States were expected to finally implement last July’s nuclear deal, which will lift international sanctions imposed on the Islamic republic.
Jason Rezaian was released as part of the January 16th prisoner swap according to Iran’s semi-official FARS news agency. Rezaian was convicted by an Iranian Revolutionary Court in October 2015. He was reportedly facing up to 20 years, but the sentence was not specified. The journalist was taken into custody in July 2014 and later charged with espionage. His wife Yeganeh Salehi was also detained in July 2014 but was later released.
Fox news is also reporting that a former U.S. Marine named Hekmati is also among those released.
It is now being reported by state run media quoting unnamed sources that seven Iranian prisoners in the US will be freed under the swap deal.
The posability of a prisioner swap was first reported here: breaking-report-americans-seek-prisoner-swap-with-iran-for-jailed-u-s-reporter
His capture was first reported here: breaking-washington-post-journalist-held-in-iran-has-been-charged-family
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