The low-key legal steps were followed by Iran’s announcement via state media that it was freeing four Iranian-Americans, including Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian and Christian pastor Saeed Abedini and Amir Hekmati, a former US Marine. But Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley said the exchange represented progress in relations between Washington and Tehran.
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The move came ahead of the expected lifting of global sanctions on Iran later on Saturday as part of a landmark deal between major powers and Iran to curb Tehran’s nuclear program.
The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), a Washington-based group dedicated to protecting religious and constitutional freedoms, reported that Abedini has endured torture during his imprisonment and was beaten by fellow prisoners in June.
The seven Iranian detainees in US were named by Iran’s state news agency as Nader Modanlo, Bahram Mechanic, Khosrow Afghani, Arash Ghahreman, Tooraj Faridi, Nima Golestaneh and Ali Saboun.
Iranian officials have met recently with some of the prisoners held in the United States to see if they would be willing to return to Iran if a swap was agreed, said a person familiar with the cases who asked not to be identified. The U.S.is returning seven Iranians accused or convicted of violating economic sanctions against Iran. “I’ve sent repeated letters to the administration encouraging them to advocate for his release hoping we’d pressure Iran for his release”, he said.
That will change as the United Nations confirms Tehran has in fact dramatically scaled back its nuclear program, which in turn goes a long way toward explaining what, for Iran, amounts to a run of exemplary behavior.
A Washington Post spokeswoman said the newspaper had not yet received official confirmation of Rezaian’s release.
“It tells us all we need to know about the Iranian regime, that they take people hostage in order to gain concessions and the fact that they can get away with it with this administration”, he said.
At 7 a.m., the State Department informed Naghmeh that Saeed was at the Swiss embassy waiting for their plane to depart to a USA hospital in Germany. He spent more than 500 days at Evin Prison.
Hekmati, of Flint, Michigan, was detained in August 2011 on espionage charges. The International Atomic Energy Agency certified Saturday that Iran had complied with the initial requirements of the nuclear deal, including shipping 25,000 pounds of enriched uranium out of the country and putting thousands of centrifuges into storage.
Iran says it has no interest in such arms. The Iranians have always denied knowing his location. A fifth American was being released, although as part of the prisoner swap negotiated with Iran.
The U.S. officials described the released Iranians as convicts or suspects in sanctions violations – offenses that Iran’s government has never recognized as legitimate.
The discussions then gained speed after last July’s nuclear deal. It’s being called a victory for U.S. Diplomacy.
Republican presidential candidates had slammed the Obama administration for striking the multinational nuclear deal with Iran while Americans were held captive. In discussions in Europe and elsewhere, Kerry and nuclear negotiator Wendy Sherman were able to establish a separate channel of talks that would focus on the US citizens.
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Still a mystery is the fate of Levinson, a retired Federal Bureau of Investigation agent who has not been heard from since he disappeared on Iran’s Kish Island in 2007.
