Iran says US prisoner swap negotiations underway
The Iranian comments followed US special envoy for Iran Robert Malley's pledge that the United States would not accept a partial deal that does not bring home all four detained Americans from Iran.
Iran said Tuesday that negotiations are ongoing over a possible prisoner exchange with the United States as efforts to salvage the landmark nuclear deal appear stalled.
"Negotiations are underway on the exchange of prisoners between Iran and America, and we will issue more information if Iranian prisoners are released and the country's interests are secured and the talks reach a conclusion," said government spokesperson Ali Rabiei.
"Because of its humanitarian aims, Iran is ready to exchange all American political prisoners in exchange for the release of all Iranian prisoners who have been detained around the world at the behest of America," Rabiei told reporters.
Also on Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif “has long proposed exchanging all Iranian and American prisoners.”
