The Iranian call came just one day after one of the country’s senior diplomats said that Iran had no plans to swap Rezaian for Iranian prisoners held in the U.S., the first time such a high-level official had alluded the possibility of such a trade, the Associated Press report.
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“None of the human rights institutes, including the United Nations rapporteurs, have followed up the situation of Iranian prisoners”, she told reporters at her weekly press briefing.
The trial for WashingPost reporter Jason Rezaian concluded last week. However, it comes as speculation is rising that Iran could seek to swap Rezaian or other Americans for the Iranians.
Tasnim quoted Hassan Qashqavi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister in control of legal & consular affairs, as saying: “An exchange of Jason Rezaian is not on agenda”.
“There is no question at all of an exchange of prisoners as each of these cases has its own special circumstances”, he said. All have been later launched besides Rezaian. Iran in 2009 under then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad named 11 Iranians imprisoned in the US it wanted released, some of whom later were freed while the Islamic Republic was holding three American hikers.
Such swaps have happened before.
Through the nuclear negotiations, U.S. diplomats say they raised the detention of Rezaian and of two different People, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati of Flint, Michigan, and Christian pastor Saeed Abedini of Boise, Idaho.
Talks on the detained and missing Americans were held on the sidelines of negotiations that led to the deal involving Iran’s nuclear program, seemingly without any resolution. Iran does not recognize dual-nationality.
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But no verdict has been announced, with Iranian officials saying the proceedings are ongoing.
