The announced implementation of the Iranian nuclear deal on Saturday came with an important bonus: Tehran’s release of four US citizens it had imprisoned, including The Post’s Jason Rezaian.
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The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the four were freed Saturday in exchange for the release of seven Iranians held in US prisons.
White House officials said earlier Sunday that recently detained student Matthew Trevithick, who was released – but not as part of the prisoner swap – had left Iran.
“So essentially they get 150 billion plus seven [people], and we get four [people]”, Trump said.
The Islamic Republic News Agency quoted the official Twitter account of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif saying “Diplomacy requires patience, but we all know that it sure beats the alternatives”. As far as I know, they’re still on Iranian soil and they’re trying to leave the airport.
For months, rumors had circulated that Iran was seeking the release of a number of its nationals in US custody in exchange for the freedom of the Americans jailed in Iran.
The U.S. was prepared to release individuals who violated nuclear-related sanctions on Iran, Kerry said.
Mr. Rezaian was released alongside Amir Hekmati, a former U.S. Marine; Saeed Abedini, a Christian pastor; and Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari.
Trevithick has left Iran, administration officials said in a Saturday evening (January 16) conference call.
“I woke up my kids around 7:30 and told them that daddy’s coming home, and he’s out of the prison and they were just so shocked but they were jumping up and down and excited”.
Administration officials disagreed, stressing: “This was a unique circumstance”.
Rezaian, a California-born Iranian-American, was detained in July 2014 and later convicted after a trial on charges of espionage and other crimes against national security. He met US fugitive Dawud Salahuddin, the last man known to see him. He and his family deny any wrongdoing, and say his imprisonment has included physical and mental torture and long periods of solitary confinement in a tiny cell.
Speaking in Vienna on Saturday, where he was to meet with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and top European Union diplomat Federica Mogherini, Zarif called for greater cooperation to fight the “terrorism and extremism” that has engulfed the Middle East. His comments were broadcast on state TV.
Other candidates were equally critical, with a partial exception: Jeb Bush told reporters in New Hampshire that while he agrees “there isn’t much symmetry” in the sets of prisoners that the two nations are exchanging, “I’m not being critical of the deal without knowing all the facts”. The Rev. Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, welcomed the release in a Facebook post. There seems to be something holding them back, but we’re hoping he’ll be out of Iranian territory within the next few hours. Abedini was previously arrested in 2009 and released after promising to stop organizing churches in homes.
Faridi was “overjoyed” at news of the pardon and plans to stay in the United States because it’s his home, Schaffer said.
The Obama administration had faced withering criticism for not including a demand for the Americans’ release in the nuclear negotiations. There are still many unknowns.
The families of Marine veteran Amir Hekmati and Christian pastor Saeed Abedin also confirmed to CNN that their loved ones had left Iran.
Hekmati’s family wrote, in a statement posted on Facebook, that they “remain in hopeful anticipation”. The battle is over and now we can focus on the next journey as a family and healing and transition.
“The truth is we are both human, and there is very dark moments and issues in our marriage and our family that came to light at a very breaking point where I was under a lot of stress and I shared with friends and it came out on media”, Naghmeh said.
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“Governments are taking Americans hostage, because they believe they can gain concessions from this government under Barack Obama”, Rubio said while campaigning in Iowa.
