Iran announced the men’s release on Saturday, just hours before Tehran’s historic nuclear deal with world powers was implemented, in exchange for Washington pardoning seven Iranians accused of sanctions-busting. The group will board another plane headed to a USA base in Germany.
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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. There were no additional details. “But I’ve not been formally informed if he is free now”, he said, adding that negotiations for the prisoners’ release has been going on for the past two months.
A statement from a senior administration official did not name specific prisoners and provided only sparse details. “We have no further information to share at this time and would ask everyone respect the privacy of these individuals and their families”, the official told CNN.
Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens, who worked in Iran with Mr Rezaian, said: ‘The charges against him were always absurd and his long-overdue release will be a great joy to his family and many friends’.
Rezaian left Iran on a plane together with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, the statement said, without saying if any of the other Americans freed were also on board.
Almost all of the negotiations took place in Geneva, the Americans said, and arrangements for the departure of those freed in Iran had been done by Switzerland, which attends to USA interests in Iran in the absence of diplomatic relations.
Six of the seven are dual citizens.
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz has urged Obama to secure Abedini’s release and appeared with his wife, Naghmeh, at campaign events.
If the International Atomic Energy Agency certifies that Iran is in compliance, some international economic sanctions against Iran are expected to be lifted.
Hekmati was allowed to leave prison for medical treatment in recent weeks, his family told The New York Times. The agreement puts Iran’s various nuclear activities under IAEA watch for up to 15 years, with an option to re-impose sanctions should Tehran break its commitments.
Iran has committed to continue cooperating with the United States to determine the whereabouts of Levinson, an unnamed U.S. official said in an email from the State Department.Although U.S. officials remain uncertain if Levinson is even still alive.
In addition, the US will drop Interpol “red notices” – essentially arrest warrants – on 14 Iranian fugitives it has sought, officials said.
Iranian-American Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian pictured while covering a press confere …
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif earlier said that the imminent release of a United Nations compliance report would trigger “Implementation Day”, with Iran receiving billions in sanctions relief in return for limiting its nuclear activities. There is hope “that having Amir back gives him some strength”. The news agency had previously said the US was to release six prisoners. We are also overjoyed to hear that other Americans being held in Iran also will soon be reunited with their families.
Amir Hekmati, 32, was born in Arizona and is a former Marine.
Kerry conveyed that message to U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on December 29 and the sanctions have been delayed until after the swap, the officials said. Trevithick has been held in Iran for 40 days with little publicity. “We should not forget Mr. Levinson and his situation”.
“Bob Levinson is still missing”, Rubio said.
A federal jury in Greenbelt convicted Saboonchi, 35, in 2014 on several counts of exporting goods and services to Iran. They urge people to remember that this triumph is only one among the thousands of Christians suffering persecution for their faith around the world in need of ongoing prayers and support.
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Androphy said the pardon covered Mechanich and Tooraj Faridi, both of Houston, and Khosro Afghahi of Los Angeles.
