Iran releases 4 dual-nationality prisoners, including Washington Post reporter

Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post journalist imprisoned in Iran for more than a year, has been released along with three other dual-nationality prisoners as Tehran nears the implementation of an historic nuclear agreement with western leaders.

In exchange for the four prisoners, the U.S. will release six Iranian-Americans it had jailed, the Fars report said.

She was later released, but Rezaian was convicted in October a year ago on charges of espionage, collecting classified information, collaborating with hostile governments, and propaganda against the establishment.

State Department spokesman John Kirby said last week that the department was “working very hard to get our citizens back home and we call again on Iran to release them”.

The four Iranian dual-nationals were being freed as part of a prisoner exchange in line with national interests at the order of the Islamic republic’s top security committee, according to the statement.

Certification that Iran is honoring its commitments to curb nuclear weapons activities will be the signal for the lifting of worldwide sanctions against Iran worth at least $100-150 bn.

The prisoner swap has not been confirmed by the U.S.

Iranian hard-liners are accusing moderate President Hassan Rouhani of “burying” the country’s nuclear program as Tehran and world powers are on the verge of implementing a historic nuclear accord.