US officials stressed that the Americans were a priority.
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He is in Vienna for talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry over Iran’s nuclear deal. “Once we receive more details and can confirm Jason has safely left Iran, we will have more to share”. He later posted a photo that appears to show Rezaian standing on a tarmac outside a plane.
On Saturday morning, news broke that four Iranian Americans, including the Washington Post’s Jason Rezaian, were released from Iran in a swap that saw the release of seven Iranian prisoners as well.
In a statement, Kerry said the sanctions termination provisions of Iran’s landmark nuclear agreement are now in effect. There were no additional details.
Joining me now for more analysis on today’s developments is Emad Kiyaei, the executive director of the American Iranian Council, a nonprofit, educational organization. It’s going to take a while, I’m told. “And the fact that they can get away with it with this administration, I think, has created an incentive for more governments to do this around the world”, Rubio told reporters.
“We are relieved that this 545-day nightmare for Jason and his family is finally over”.
It said the prisoner swap – involving four Americans and seven Iranians – followed 14 months of confidential discussions in Switzerland. Abedini’s wife, Naghmeh Abedini worked for years with the Washington, D.C.,-based American Center for Law & Justice to appeal to world leaders to pressure Iran to release her husband.
President Barack Obama delegated authority to Kerry to make the determination.
Rezaian is a dual Iran-U.S. citizen who was convicted of espionage in a closed-door trial in 2015.
Faridi was “overjoyed” at news of the pardon and plans to stay in the United States because it’s his home, Schaffer said. It ranged from exporting electronic components, satellite services, marine navigation and military equipment to Iran. The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency named the other men as Nader Madanloo and Nima Golestaneh.
Since his arrest in July 2014, Rezaian had become the highest-profile dual Iranian-American citizen held in Tehran’s Evin Prison, particularly as the nuclear talks were unfolding.
The Swiss government, which handles U.S. consular matters in Tehran because of a lack of diplomatic relations between the United States and Iran, helped mediate, said a senior administration official in Washington.
Certification by the International Atomic Energy Agency will allow Iran to immediately recoup some $100 billion in assets frozen overseas.
“He is specifically mentioned by name in the agreement and there is an agreement to specifically cooperate to find him”, said Kerry. The US will also drop Interpol “red notices” – essentially arrest warrants – on a handful of Iranian fugitives.
Two congressmen were headed to Germany to greet Rezaian and Hekmati. “He didn’t do anything wrong by the way”, Trump said, speaking of reporter Jason Rezaian.
Trevithick’s parents said he was freed after 40 days at a prison in Tehran. The four other Americans had not yet departed, the officials said. There is hope “that having Amir back gives him some strength”.
The family of Hekmati released a statement saying: “We thank everyone for your thoughts during this time”. But staff there said it “wasn’t a problem” and processed his paperwork routinely, his sister Sarah Hekmati told Reuters in 2013.
“Iran has also committed to continue co-operating with the United States to determine the whereabouts of Robert Levinson“, a USA official said.
“When Americans are freed, that’s something we can all celebrate”, US President Barak Obama said in a televised statement from the White House. However, after one day of talking to him at a hotel, Levinson vanished never to be heard from again.
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Iran agreed to release four detained Americans in exchange for seven Iranians held or charged in the United States, U.S. and Iran officials said Saturday.
