Iran: Rezaian, Hekmati, Abedini, 1 other freed

The first four Americans released were Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati, pastor Saeed Abedini and Nosratollah Khosravi, whose name had not been previously made public. Hillary Clinton also welcomed the developments while saying Iran should not be thanked because it should never have detained the Americans.

HORSLEY: Sure. Well, the administration stresses that the Iranians who are being released were charged, or in some cases convicted, of sanctions violations, not terrorist-related activity or violent crimes. Rezaian is a Washington Post reporter detained in July 2014.

The U.S. State Department also dropped worldwide arrest notices and charges for 14 Iranians. Mechanich, who was “elated” by the pardon, plans eventually return to Iran, where he has a business, Androphy said.

The official said the USA government would be able to give more details about the Iranians who were granted pardons or clemency after the US citizens had left Iran.

Although he opposed the nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers group since it was signed past year, presidential hopeful Ted Cruz celebrated the release of Abedini on Twitter. “However, … president Obama’s nuclear agreement with Iran is fatally flawed and gravely jeopardizes the national security interests of the American people, our ally Israel and other peaceful nations in the Middle East and around the world”. Trevithick has been held in Iran for 40 days with little publicity.

“We have now been officially told that he is on a plane leaving the country”, the family said in a statement.

The pastor’s release was linked to a deal between Tehran, U.S. and other world powers including the lifting of U.S. and worldwide sanctions and the release of seven Iranians in U.S. custody, according to The Washington Post.

But Rezaian, a widely respected bureau chief for the Post in Tehran since 2012, appeared to have been a victim of both worldwide and Iranian domestic politics.

US officials confirmed Abedini was one of four Americans released, including a Washington Post reporter, Jason Rezaian, whose imprisonment has attracted the most media attention.

Rezaian’s brother, Ali, said in a tweet he had yet to receive confirmation of the release. He was sentenced to death on the charge of working for an enemy country.

He was sentenced to serve 8 years. She received the news at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday after friends from Iran called her to share the news that they had heard. “Here, unjustly imprisoned Americans are traded for Iranian criminals – and the US agrees to stop trying to prosecute fourteen other Iranians engaged in arms trafficking”.

Abedini, a 35-year-old American Christian pastor born in Iran, was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2013 on charges of attempting to undermine the Iranian government.

Iran and the United States have been careful to avoid prolonging fights that would derail the nuclear deal’s implementation or the exchange of prisoners.

Saboonchi faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison when he was convicted, but the sentence he was ultimately given was not clear Saturday.

The freeing of the Americans and the certification marked the beginning of a new era in U.S.-Iranian relations.

“If the Americans take the appropriate actions vis-a-vis Iranian citizens who are being imprisoned here, then the right atmosphere and environment will be created for reciprocal action, perhaps”.

Frontrunner Donald Trump, who was speaking on Saturday in New Hampshire, said: “I’m happy they’re coming back but I will tell you, it’s a disgrace they’ve been there so long”.

The official said that the “Iranians wanted a goodwill gesture” as part of the release, and that led to the exchange.