Iran frees five Americans as nuclear deal goes into effect
Iran has released five American prisoners including Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, in an apparent swap with Iranians jailed in the United States for sanctions violations.
A landmark Iran nuclear deal entered full implementation Jan. 16 and yielded an extra bonus as Iran freed five Americans, including Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, in return for seven Iranians jailed in the United States.
While the nuclear talks and negotiations on freeing the Americans were not directly related, US officials said, a separate channel on the detainees accelerated after conclusion of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in July.
The Obama administration freed seven Iranians convicted of violating US economic sanctions and agreed not to seek extradition of 14 others charged with similar offenses. None of them had committed violent acts or been charged with supporting terrorism, US officials said.
“Through a diplomatic channel that was established with the focus of getting our detained US citizens home, we can confirm Iran has released from imprisonment four Americans detained in Iran: Amir Hekmati, Saeed Abedini, Jason Rezaian and Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari,” a US official said in a statement Jan. 16.
