The United States has returned an acquitted Iranian scientist to his home country after holding him for months in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday. Both Washington and Tehran shot down rampant speculation that the United States had detained Sirous Asgari despite his acquittal on sanctions evasion charges in November to secure the release of Americans detained by Iran.
“Speculation about an exchange of Asgari for other individuals is not accurate,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abbas Mousavi. “His freedom came about based on his acquittal from charges.”
