US Lawmakers, Presidential Candidates Hail Iran’s Release of Americans

The U.S. officials described the released Iranians as convicts or suspects in sanctions violations – offenses that Iran’s government has never recognized as legitimate.

Both chambers of Congress and the White House have called for the release of Hekmati as well as Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian and two other Americans arrested and detained in Iran, but the Obama administration pointedly avoided making their release part of the negotiations to have sanctions on that country lifted. Rezaian was the Post’s Tehran correspondent and was accredited to work in the country by the Iranian government.-Former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati of Flint, Michigan.

Faridi, 46, is vice president of a Smart Power Systems and along with Afghahi assisted Mechanic in the illegal transfer of USA technology to Iran, according to court documents. She was released on bail in October 2014.

“The invading Basijis removed all computer cases, several lap tops, a number of telephones and some other office equipment and took them to their homes like spoils of war and are now using them”, said the reformist Saham News website. Ah, doesn’t sound too good but we have to see. Saeed Abedini had Christian groups.

She said her husband will undergo a medical examination and they can assess his physical and emotional state.

Namazi is an Iranian-American businessman who advocated better ties between Iran and the U.S.

It was unclear who Khosravi is. “This is a critical time for me and my family”. “I was stunned and surprised by Naghmeh’s statement”.

At least four Iranian-American citizens, including a Washington Post reporter, have been held by the Islamic Republic.

Here’s a deeper look at what the candidates had to say on Saturday about the prisoner exchange.

Hekmati’s family has accused Iran of subjecting him to physical and mental torture and solitary confinement in a tiny cell. Critics, unaware of the prisoner negotiations, accused the administration of caving on the missile sanctions to save the nuclear deal.

Efforts to assure world powers that Iran was becoming a responsible regional power were almost thwarted on January 12 after Revolutionary Guard’s naval force captured 10 US sailors in the Gulf.

Secretary of State John Kerry flew from London to Vienna in the early afternoon local time.

Ghahraman, 46, was sentenced to more than six years in prison last year for violating the trade embargo after he participated in a scheme to purchase marine navigation equipment and military electronic equipment for illegal export to Iran.

Johnnie Moore criticized the US government’s deal. Between July 2010 and 2015, Mechanic’s network allegedly obtained 28 million parts valued at about $24 million worth and shipped them to Iran through Taiwan and Turkey. “If we allow exchanges like this, it incentivizes more kidnapping of people”. As well, a fifth American was freed separately. We haven’t heard from Jason yet and we don’t know what is going on, but we are relieved he is safe and looking forward to getting him home’. “At the beginning, there wasn’t this kind of dialogue. At this point, we are hoping and praying for Amir’s long-awaited return”. At the late South African leader Nelson Mandela’s memorial service in 2013 at the Washington National Cathedral, the Rev. Rob Schenck said he begged Kerry to not forget Saeed Abedini. “Thank you Rouhani”, one said.

He went missing one evening when he was supposed to join a family gathering, Sarah Hekmati said. “Religious conservatives who tend to be critical of the Obama administration really need to give credit where credit is due”, he said.