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 sanctions were delayed until Sunday, after the US detainees left Iran.
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According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Mechanic was pardoned on one count of conspiracy to violate the Iranian embargo and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), six counts of violating the Iranian embargo and the EAR, five counts of violating the Iranian embargo, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, eight counts money laundering and one count of failure to file Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBARs).
A ministry statement says the plane is carrying three of the released Iranian-Americans and the mother and wife of one of the former captives, but didn’t identify them.
Matthew Trevithick, a student who was recently detained, was also released – but not as part of the prisoner swap. Apart from that, Iran undertook not to manufacture weapons-grade plutonium, to have not more than 300 kilograms of 3.67% enriched uranium in a period of 15 years, to reshape nuclear facilities and use them exclusively in peaceful purposes.
Iran detained Rezaian in 2014, eventually charging him with espionage and other crimes, according to The Washington Post.
In November, a medium-range Ghadr-110 ballistic missile was reportedly tested from a site in southeast Iran. US-IRAN SWAP PRISONERS Four Americans and seven Iranians got tickets to freedom in a prisoner swap playing out alongside the kickstart of the lifting of sanctions. Firms controlled by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards will also remain under sanctions.
Mr Rouhani, who has promised that 2016 will be a “year of prosperity” for Iranians, was to give a press conference later Sunday after presenting this year’s budget. “We’re not going to waver in the defense of our security or that of our allies and partners”, Obama said.
U.K. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said, “there were many skeptics who said Iran would never deliver on its side of the bargain”, but that Mr. Rouhani’s government had done so.
In his first public remarks since worldwide sanctions were lifted following a United Nations report that Iran had fully complied in scaling back its nuclear program, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says Tehran should “exercise care the other party implements its commitments”.
Matt Laslo, the Washington Bureau Chief at Laslo Congressional Bureau and an adjunct professor of journalism, told MEE that the deal showed the power of diplomacy. Before the deal, Iran was steadily increasing its stockpile of enriched uranium – enough for up to 10 nuclear bombs.
“Vigorously” enforce sanctions President Barack Obama said his government will “vigorously” enforce sanctions against Iran’s ballistic missile program.
The deal comes after more than a year of secret negotiations, the officials said.
The Islamic Republic released the prisoners in exchange for pardons or charges dropped against seven Iranians – six of whom hold dual US citizenship – serving time for or accused of sanctions violations in the United States.
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A strong supporter of the agreement, Rouhani sent out a celebratory tweet calling it a “glorious victory” late Saturday night while the speeches in Vienna were still taking place. On Monday following the lifting of global sanctions over its nuclear program Iran announced a major boost in oil production by 500000 barrels a day.
