Iran has no plan to swap for detained Post reporter

The trial for WashingPost reporter Jason Rezaian concluded last week. His verdict is expected shortly.

Her remarks came after media reports claimed that Iran and the US have plans to swap a number of their prisoners, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, who is in custody in Iran for espionage.

‘The reports on the possible exchange of prisoners are not true and it is not on the table, ‘ Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Qashqavi was quoted as saying by Iran’s ISNA news agency.

Two other Americans are held by Iran, while another went missing in 2007 while working for the CIA on an unapproved intelligence mission.

While the possibility was never mentioned by Rezaian’s lawyer, it was the first time a high-level official has alluded to the possibility of such a trade, the Associated Press reported.

Rezaian’s wife, Yeganeh Salehi, and two photojournalists were detained along with him on July 22, 2014, in Tehran. Salehi, a journalist for The National newspaper in the United Arab Emirates, reportedly has been banned from leaving Iran.

Such swaps have happened before. U.S. officials, worldwide organizations and press advocates have called for Rezaian’s immediate release.

Rezaian has dual Iranian-American citizenship. For far too long the Iranian government has ignored its own rules and laws meant to protect citizens like Jason, as well as worldwide treaties protecting journalists to which Iran is a party. The Obama administration has faced criticism for not securing the Americans’ release as part of the landmark deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

Fars additional quoted Qashqavi as saying the U.S. held 19 Iranian prisoners on “sanctions-related expenses, or because the People outline them: political prisoners”.