Iran FM wants ‘humanitarian’ solution for United States reporter

The Washington Post denounced the conviction of its reporter Jason Rezaian by an Iranian court, saying the proceeding was an “outrageous injustice”. The same day, Gholamhossein Esmaeili, the head of Tehran’s judiciary, confirmed that Rezaian had “been detained for a few questions”. Leila Ahsan, Rezaian’s lawyer, presented her main defense during the fourth and final session, on August 10. It had previously been reported that his charges of espionage, collaboration with hostile governments, and spreading propaganda would carry a sentence of between 10 and 20 years.

The United States has repeatedly called for Rezaian to be freed.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier along with a number of foreign ministers and high-ranking officials from various countries will attend the gathering to exchange views on the latest developments in the Middle East region. Zarif justified Rezaian’s detention and reiterated a familiar regime talking point that Iranian prisoners are nobody’s business but Tehran’s.

Regarding the Saturday meeting, MSC Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger has said it can pave the way for further cooperation between Iran and the West.

Iran accused Rezaian of spying on Iran’s nuclear programs and circumventing sanctions by passing information to the U.S. government. By pushing for their release, Tehran implies either that it does recognize such dual citizenship when the given individuals are subject to U.S. authority or that it thinks that persons living with full rights in the USA are nonetheless citizens only of Iran.

President Hassan Rouhani also raised that possibility last month but Iran’s judiciary rejected the idea.

“I will definitely appeal if the verdict has found my client guilty”, she said. They insisted that no sanctions relief will occur until the United Nations. Now is precisely the time to find out whether and how Iran and the West can cooperate more closely on other issues as well. The court has not provided details on the verdict or sentence. A few even claim to have violated the economic sanctions unknowingly, via a complex series of business dealings. He must be released without condition. His wife and two other journalists had already been released.

Kerry was explaining why he hadn’t let this stop him from negotiating that nuclear deal with Tehran: “The families themselves of these hostages knew exactly what our strategy was and why it was important not to hold a nuclear agreement hostage to hostages”.