President Obama Touts ‘Smart’ Diplomacy for Iran Prisoner Swap: ‘American

But the day before the sanctions were to be imposed, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif warned Kerry that if Washington went ahead, the deal could be endangered, according to a USA official and congressional sources.

Obama also said that the US remains steadfast against Iran’s threats to Israel and others in the region, for example by enforcing new sanctions against Iran’s ballistic program. “I do want to speak directly to the Iranian people”, Obama said.

The United States has announced new sanctions on Iranian companies and individuals linked to Iran’s ballistic missile program.

The Americans released in the deal were Jason Rezaian, a Washington Post reporter; former Marine Amir Hekmati; Saeed Abedini, a pastor; and Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari. The European Union said it has “lifted all economic and financial sanctions against Iran related to the nuclear program”.

Obama described the release of six Iranian-Americans and one Iranian charged in the United States as a “reciprocal, humanitarian gesture” that was a one-time event.

Obama also said that the he would sanction Iran for its recent ballistic missile tests.

Mr Obama said that Iran had “fulfilled key commitments” under last year’s nuclear deal, including filling in a plutonium reactor with concrete, removing two thirds of its uranium enrichment machines, and ditching large parts of its enriched Uranium stockpile. Iranian media say the military has test-fired several short-range missiles, including the type Palestinian militant Hamas group used to attack Tel Aviv last November.

President Obama on the Iranian hostages. On Saturday, the US and Iran announced that four Americans detained in Iran would be released from prison and the USA would pardon or drop charges against seven Iranians accused or convicted of violating US sanctions.

US President Barack Obama on Sunday hailed the release of five Americans who had been held in Iran, even as three of them were on their way to Switzerland.

The accord, known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, would provide sanctions relief for Iran in exchange for limits on its controversial nuclear programme.

“Once again, we’re seeing what’s possible with strong American diplomacy”, Obama said in remarks delivered from the Cabinet Room of the White House.

Obama said talks between Washington and Tehran to secure the release of the Americans held in Iran “accelerated” after the nuclear deal.

“Yesterday marked a milestone in preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon”. In settling the claim, which had been tied up at the Hague Tribunal since 1981, the U.S.is returning the money in the fund along with “a roughly $1.3 billion compromise on the interest”, the statement said.