Washington Post Reporter Jason Rezaian, 3 Other Freed Americans Leave Iran

“The fifth U.S. citizen who was released, as a separate but clearly associated good will gesture from Iran, Matthew Trevithick, he has already departed Iran”, the official said.

Ryan said the Post was “relieved that this 545-day nightmare for Jason and his family is finally over”.

A plane carrying American prisoners released from Iranian detention as part of a prisoner swap deal between Tehran and Washington is “about to take off”, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told CNN.

The official said the US government would be able to give more details about the Iranians who were granted pardons or clemency after the USA citizens had left Iran.

The announcement comes on a day when the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, announced Iran is in compliance with a July deal to restrict its nuclear program.

The United States also agreed to drop charges against 14 other Iranians whose extradition to the United States seemed unlikely, a US official said on background.

Iran has freed four prisoners from the United States, including Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, Iran’s semi-official FARS news agency reported Saturday, citing Tehran’s prosecutor.

The fourth is Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari, whose name had not been previously made public.

The latest developments as Iran and world powers implement a landmark deal reached past year to curb Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of worldwide sanctions (all times local). “We’ve all been watching this very closely for the time he’s been in prison and we’re just thrilled to hear he’s being released and so happy that he’s going to be coming back home to his friends and family”.

His sister, Sarah, has said her brother renounces his dual Iranian citizenship and vows to never return to Iran if he’s allowed to leave.

U.S. officials said on Saturday that it was a prisoner swap based on humanitarian concerns.

Former Marine Hekmati, 32, was detained while visiting an Iranian relative in August 2011 and sentenced to death for espionage.

Two congressmen are headed to Germany on Sunday to greet Rezaian and Hekmati.

The Javan daily says filling in the reactor is “hurting national pride”.

The secret talks were led by Brett McGurk, the US special envoy tapped by President Barack Obama to coordinate the global fight against the ISIS terrorist group, senior USA administration officials said. In addition, the fate of former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared in March 2007 during a visit to Iran’s Kish Island, remains unknown. Iranian officials had repeatedly denied any knowledge of his disappearance or whereabouts.

“We thank everyone for your thoughts during this time”, Hekmati’s family said in a statement early Saturday afternoon. “But once again, Bob Levinson has been left behind”.

The U.S pardoned or dropped the charges against seven Iranians in a prisoner swap for the release of four Americans held by Iran.

The Obama administration official isn’t saying whether all four Americans were on the plane, just that those “who wished to depart Iran have left”.

Rezaian, who was born in California and holds both US and Iranian citizenship, was convicted in closed proceedings previous year after being charged with espionage and related allegations.

The men had been involved in exporting products and services to Iran in violation of trade sanctions against the country.

Ghahreman, of Staten Island, New York, was found guilty in April 2015 of a scheme to export marine navigation equipment and military electronic equipment to Iran, according to the Justice Department.