Family of Idaho pastor detained in Iran to reunite with him

At the same time Obama was addressing the country on the release of five Americans freed from Iran through a prisoner swap, church-goers at Calvary Chapel were arriving for morning services in Boise.

There were exceptions, with Kentucky Sen.

“We’re glad they’re out, but, excuse me, we don’t want to have the Iranians just grabbing people and then trying to get their own people out”, he told CBS’ “Face the Nation”.

In this video, Naghmeh Abedini speaks out on “America’s News HQ” on Fox News after husband’s release from Iran. He also noted that differences between the US and Iran remain, and pointed to new sanctions against Iran as evidence that the USA will remain steadfast in opposing Iranian violations of worldwide agreements.

“The negotiation exchanging the seven prisoners (proves) that once again the Iranians were very capable of outwitting us and out-negotiating us”.

President Barack Obama invited Pittenger to participate in the welcoming contingent traveling to the U.S. Army’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, where doctors were examining three of five Americans released over the weekend – Abedini, Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian and former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati. She said President Obama told her that Saeed’s return was a high priority for them.

The Florida senator criticized the exchange, saying the Americans were “not prisoners” but hostages. “The Iranians know where he is, or we believe they do. This will create great incentive for others!”

According to Secretary of State John Kerry on Twitter, “Iran has agreed to deepen our coordination as we work to locate Robert Levinson”.

Presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., said in a statement that the release “shows that diplomacy can work even in this volatile region of the world”.

“We’re not going to waver in the defense of our security or that of our allies and partners”, Obama said. “It did not happen as quickly as we had hoped, but it happened in God’s flawless timing”.

We are grateful to the members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who tirelessly advocated for the release of Pastor Abedini.

We now know that the reason the Obama administration dropped plans for new sanctions against Iran in late December-sanctions that had been triggered by Iran’s forbidden launch of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles-after the Iranian regime threatened to cancel the prisoner swap.

“When you’re dealing with Iran you have to be careful because tigers don’t change their stripes overnight”, Leighton said.

Early last May, Congress asserted its oversight role in any nuclear deal with Iran, approving legislation giving lawmakers the power to review and effectively block the deal.