Finally free, journalist Jason Rezaian wants to see a Warriors game

USA journalist Jason Rezaian gestures as he poses for media people in front of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016.

“I want everyone to know that I’m feeling fine, and I feel lucky to be here at a place where I can get such terrific care”, Rezaian said in a statement released by the Washington Post on Wednesday. “Hearing about fellow Marines supporting me helped me get through 4 years of very tough times”.

LANDSTUHL, Germany (AP) — Pale but smiling, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati recounted Tuesday how disbelief turned to joy when he and three fellow Americans realized that they were being released as part of a deal with Iran and reunited with their families after spending years in Iranian prison.

“The Iranian officials, who were our captors essentially, were amazed and had asked us, ‘Why is it that they’re working so hard for you?’, and I just said, ‘Well, that’s America and they love their citizens'”.

“He’s trying to catch up on what’s been going on in the world”, Ali said.

“Why did Iran prisoner swap not include my father?” said Sarah Moriarty.

Senator Bob Corker is the first USA senator to confirm reports by Reuters that there was a link between the Obama administration’s delaying sanctions over Iran’s ballistic missile program and efforts to free Americans held prisoner there. Champagne bottles were popped.

At the last minute on Sunday, as a Swiss air force jet waited with Rezaian and two other released Americans on the tarmac, Iranian officials refused to allow Rezaian’s wife – who was reporting for The National when she was arrested along with her husband – and mother to leave with him.

Hekmati’s family released a photo Monday showing him with two sisters and a brother-in-law, along with U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Michigan.

Rezaian, 39, stood trial behind closed doors in a Revolutionary Court on charges including espionage – allegations he strongly denied.

A Swiss plane took Hekmati along with Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post’s Tehran bureau chief and Saeed Abedini, a pastor from Idaho, as well as some family members, from Tehran to Geneva on Sunday.

“Matthew Trevithick is happy to be back in MA after his ordeal in Tehran’s Evin Prison”, his family said in a statement.

Six of the seven have dual citizenship and all of them had been convicted or charged with crimes related to selling sensitive equipment to Iran, violating trade embargoes.