Hours after the United States lifted sanctions on Iran for complying with parts of the nuclear deal, the two countries announced the release of prisoners held in each country.
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“After the nuclear deal was completed, the discussions between our governments accelerated”.
Among those who had left Iran was The Washington Post’s Tehran correspondent Jason Rezaian, who had been detained in Iran for almost 18 months.
They had left Geneva on Sunday night after a short stop.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, officials said Khosravi-Roodsari – about whom little is known – elected not to board the plane for Switzerland.
Three U.S. Congressmen traveled Monday to the medical center in Germany where three Americans, released by Iran as part of a prisoner swap, are being treated.
The four Americans are Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian; Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, former US Marine Amir Hekmati and a fourth man named Nosratollah Khosravi. Obama and other senior USA officials have said they repeatedly demanded the release of Iran’s American prisoners but there had been nevertheless widespread criticism of the administration for failing to secure a firm agreement on the prisoners’ release earlier.
“Those who wished to depart Iran have left”, said one official.
Rubio said that the deal shows “weakness” on the part of Washington, and if he were elected president, Iran would not dare to detain Americans because it would face tough consequences.
“These American citizens deserve to be released unconditionally, and I urge you to use every tool at your disposal to secure their freedom”, Rubio said then. Trevithick’s release was separate from the those of the other four Americans.
In an address to the nation on Sunday, Obama heralded the release of the five Americans as a “smart” diplomacy move.
He said family members were feeling “tampered jubilation” Saturday while they waited to find out if Hekmati was really released, because they’ve gotten their hopes up in the past. “Today is an incredible day for all of us”.
Kildee said the three men would return to the US “as soon as possible”. “It came at a time that I was not expecting”.
US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters travelling with him from Vienna to Washington that Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif resolved the problem.
The agreement also calls for Iranian officials to “continue cooperating with the United States to determine the whereabouts of Robert Levinson”, a US official said.
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The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency named the other three men as Nader Madanloo, Arash Ghahreman and Nima Golestaneh.
