More UPDATES: Jason Rezaian and 3 Other US Inmates Freed by Iran
TEHRAN (BASIRAT)- 4 Iranian-American nationals who were held for various charges in Iran have been freed under a prisoners swap deal, Tehran's prosecutor announced Saturday afternoon.
"Based on an approval of the Supreme National Security
Council (SNSC) and the overall interests of the Islamic Republic, four Iranian
prisoners with dual-nationality were freed today within the framework of a
prisoner swap deal," the office of Tehran prosecutor said.
The four Iranian-Americans, Jason Rezaian, Amir Hekmat,
Saeed Abedini and Nosratollah Khosrawi Roudsari who were jailed in Iran on
various charges in recent years, have all been released,(FNA) reported.
Some English and Persian websites have wrongly named
Siamak Namazi as the fourth inmate freed under the deal today. Namazi
remains in jail for his charges are financial, and not political. The freed
prisoners are due to fly to Switzerland from Iran on a Swiss flight.
Meantime, a US official said a fifth dual nationality
prisoner would also be released by Iran separate from the swap deal.
According to the swap deal, the US has also freed 7
Iranian-Americans who were held for sanctions-related charges and demanded the
Interpol to stop prosecution of 14 other Iranian nationals.
The 7 Iranian inmates freed by the US have been named as Nader
Modanlou, Bahram Mechanic, Khosrow Afqahi, Arash Ghahreman, Touraj Faridi, Nima
Golestaneh and Ali Sabounchi.
A senior Iranian legislator citing an IRGC report on
Rezaian's case said in October that he has been imprisoned for his attempts to
help the US Senate to advance its regime change plots in Iran.
In late July 2014, Iran confirmed that four journalists,
including Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, had been arrested and
were being held for questioning.
Rezaian's wife Yeganeh Salehi, a correspondent for the
United Arab Emirates-based newspaper, the National, was also arrested at that
time, but she and two others were released later.
According to the Constitution, the Judiciary is independent
from the government in Iran.
Some reports earlier this year had spoken of a potential
prisoner swap between Iran and US following the Vienna nuclear deal in July.
(Paragraphs 2 and 5 have been updated several times and
paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 have been added to this news item.)
