Three US Prisoners Leave Tehran for Switzerland After Swap Deal

President Obama on Sunday hailed the release of Americans from Iranian custody and the implementation of an historic accord to curb Iran’s nuclear program, pointing to the breakthroughs as products of diplomacy.

Szubin cited Iran’s “support for terrorism, regional destabilisation, human rights abuses, and ballistic missile program”. “On the sidelines of the nuke negotiations, our diplomats at the highest level, including Secretary [John] Kerry, used every meeting to push Iran to release our Americans”, he said.

Under the prisoner swap, the USA dropped charges against seven Iranians citizens accused or convicted of violating US sanctions.

Also on Sunday, U.S. announced that Iran will receive 1.7 billion U.S. dollars in debt and interest as Obama pledged that it is time to solve the financial disputes between the two countries. USA officials said Iran receives $400 million for the purchase and $1.3 billion in interest.

He also announced that Tehran had released several American prisoners, who were detained – some for years – in Iranian prisons, including Washington Post reporter and ex-Tehran bureau chief Jason Rezaian. “We have a rare chance to pursue a new path, a different, better future that delivers progress for both our peoples and the wider world”, he said.

Many of President Obama’s political opponents also criticized the end of the sanctions. Iran defended the tests as a matter of national security.

He said to keep the sanctions in place would create a “situation where Canadian companies would be alone in not having access” to the Iranian market.

Obama said the United States is imposing sanctions on individuals and companies working to advance Iran’s ballistic missile program. Addressing lawmakers in parliament he said Iran, no longer burdened by sanctions, would seek foreign investment of $30-50 billion annually, to dramatically spur growth to eight per cent. The US government would “not rest” until another American citizen, Mr Robert Levinson, who went missing in Iran more than eight years ago, was located, he said.

Moments later, President Obama hailed the nuclear deal, which is being implemented following verification by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran had restricted its sensitive nuclear activities.

The annoucement came shortly before a televised address by the US President in which he admitted a recent episode in which US sailors strayed into Iranian territorial waters could have sparked an “international incident”.