Rezaian and three others were freed as part of a prisoner swap that was announced on Saturday.
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Abedini is a Christian pastor who had been imprisoned since July 2012 for organizing home churches.
US officials said Iran is also freeing a fifth American, a student detained in Tehran some months ago, separately from the exchange. There were no additional details.
Iran’s government has never acknowledged holding Levinson, but has said that the country’s intelligence services could help look for him. “We don’t make that judgment”.
The Post’s publisher, Frederick J. Ryan, Jr., said in a statement, “We are relieved that this 545-day nightmare for Jason and his family is finally over”.
Hekmati’s family released a statement saying: “We thank everyone for your thoughts during this time”.
According to reports, Amir Mirzaee Hekmati, Jason Rezaian, Saeed Abedini, and Nosratollah Khosravi were among the released prisoners.
He met US fugitive Dawud Salahuddin, the last man known to see him.
The UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Iran had scaled back its nuclear programme. Six have dual US-Iranian nationality.
The prisoner swap comes a day after worldwide inspectors concluded Tehran was in compliance with the deal governing its nuclear program. But in the absence of a firmer USA policy, Iran’s attacks on Americans and vital US interests will surely continue. The budget plans for an economic windfall as worldwide economic sanctions against Iran end as part of a landmark nuclear deal.
The prisoner deal was the culmination of months of contacts, secret talks and legal manoeuvring which came close to falling apart on at least one occasion.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in Vienna to meet U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, spoke cryptically of a possible negotiation. Jay Sekulow, ACLJ’s chief counsel went live on social media this morning to express their excitement at this culmination of over three years work to secure the freedom of the Iranian-born American pastor.
Huffman said the freed prisoners are expected to be transported to a US military hospital in Germany for medical evaluation.
“All the parties are happy with the exception of the Zionists and the warmongers”, he said.
“It is hard to put into words what our family feels right now”, the statement continued.
Government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi told The Associated Press on Sunday that Iraq believes the deal “will be a catalyst for beginning to solve a number of disputes in the region peacefully and through dialogue”.
Congressman Dan Kildee, who represents the family of former marine Amir Hekmati and advocated for Hekmati’s release, said in a statement that Hekmati “is coming home”.
As part of the deal, Obama also agreed to pardon or commute the sentences of seven Iranians held by the United States, a senior USA official said on condition of anonymity because the president had not yet signed the pardon paperwork. In addition, the fate of former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared in March 2007 during a visit to Iran’s Kish Island, remains unknown.
The Post and Rezaian’s family will celebrate his safe return and that of the other Americans. “But once again, Bob Levinson has been left behind”.
In return, the U.S.is pardoning or commuting the sentences of an Iranian and six dual citizens.
Specifically, they were accused of shipping electronic components to Iran in violation of the trade sanctions, Faridi’s attorney, Kent Schaffer, told CNN affiliate KPRC in Houston.
The lawyer for Mechanic, who has been jailed since his indictment last April on charges of illegally exporting microelectronics technology to Iran, said his client was “elated” to be pardoned.
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On Saturday, Republican candidates to succeed Obama in the White House were quick to question the lifting of sanctions and the release of prisoners, as they had been to demand strong action over the capture of the American sailors.
