Jason Rezaian is being released, Iranian news agency says

Iranian state television is announced that the government has freed four dual-nationality prisoners.

Jason Rezaian, The Washington Post’s Tehran correspondent, and Saeed Abedini, a pastor from Idaho, are among four dual Iranian nationals freed by Iran, the Fars News Agency reported Saturday.

The Post reporter was held on unspecified charges for more than seven months before appearing in court.

‘In line with orders from the Supreme National Security Council and in the national interest, four Iranian dual national prisoners have been released in a prisoner swap, ‘ Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi was quoted as saying by Iranian news agencies.

Their release reportedly came after a prisoner swap deal with the US for six Iranian-Americans who were being held on sanctions-related charges, FARS reports.

Former Marine Hekmati, 32, was detained while visiting an Iranian relative in August 2011 and sentenced to death for espionage.

The seven Iranians to be freed by the USA are Nader Modanlou, Baharam Mekanik, Khosrow Afghahi, Arash Ghahraman, Touraj Faridi, Nima Golestaneh, and Ali Sabounchi, according to IRNA and the state broadcaster.

Washington Post spokeswoman Kris Coratti told the AP that she could not confirm any change in Rezaian’s case.

“We’re all very excited that hopefully within a matter of days we’ll be able to welcome them back to the United States”, Huffman said.

Iran was seeking a number of detained Iranians in exchange for the Americans. In addition, the fate of former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared in March 2007 during a visit to Iran’s Kish Island, remains unknown.

Parsi said their release was long overdue but that it was unlikely to have happened if US-Iran diplomatic relations hadn’t improved as a result of the nuclear agreement.

Frederick J. Ryan, Jr., publisher of The Washington Post, said in a statement, “We couldn’t be happier to hear the news that Jason Rezaian has been released from Evin Prison”.

A fifth American detained in Iran, a student, was released in a move unrelated to the swap, United States officials said.

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

We’re grateful for the millions of people who have stood with us in our ongoing efforts – both in this country and overseas – to secure his release.

His arrest came three years after he had been arrested by Iranian authorities and later released after agreeing to stop organizing churches in homes. He was sentenced in 2013 to 8 years in prison.

Namazi is an Iranian-American businessman who advocated better ties between Iran and the U.S. Iranian officials deny knowing where he is.