Plane with freed U.S. prisoners lands in Geneva

(Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP).

UN chief Ban Ki-moon says he welcomes the news that a number of Americans detained in Iran, including a Washington Post journalist, have been released along with a number of Iranians held by the United States.

Trevithick’s release was not part of the prisoner swap, but USA officials did “indicate to Foreign Minister Zarif that it’d be important for them to try to resolve some of the other cases of Americans detained in the context of this ‘deal, ‘” a senior administration official told CNN.

The negotiated exchange eases one leading irritant as the two countries gingerly explore prospects for a smoother relationship after decades of hostility – even as they remain sharply at odds on other fronts.

Iran has released Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian and three other Iranian-American prisoners as it anticipates the lifting of global sanctions. USA student Matthew Trevithick was released independently of the exchange on Saturday and already was on his way home.

When Rezaian, a 39-year-old dual Iranian and USA citizen born and raised in California, was seized in his home with his Iranian wife, Yeganeh Salehi, on July 22, 2014, Iran had recently extended an interim agreement on its nuclear program with the United States.

Three were serving prison terms and now have received a commutation or pardon.

The attorney for one of the seven told CNN his client was pardoned along with two others indicted at the same time.

“Until he was out of Iran, until I got a call from the White House today saying the plane has crossed Iranian border, he is out of Iran, we all took a deep breath”.

Speaking in the parliament in comments broadcast live on state television, Rouhani said, “In (implementing) the deal, all are happy except Zionists, warmongers, sowers of discord among Islamic nations and extremists in the U.S. The rest are happy”.

In addition, Iranian state TV said 14 Iranians sought by the USA would be removed from an Interpol wanted list.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other officials involved in the accord met in Vienna as the diplomatic achievement unfolded.

Huffman said the freed prisoners won’t be on USA soil for a few days, he said.

Iran said they were being swapped for seven Iranians held in U.S. prisons but there was no immediate United States confirmation.

Washington Post publisher Frederick Ryan said in a statement: “We are relieved that this 545-day nightmare for Jason and his family is finally over”. “Once we receive more details and can confirm Jason has safely left Iran, we will have more to share”.

Hekmati’s family released a statement saying: “We thank everyone for your thoughts during this time”.

“There are still many unknowns. At this point, we are hoping and praying for Amir’s long-awaited return”.

Huffman said the freed prisoners are expected to be transported to a US military hospital in Germany for medical evaluation. Judicial authorities repeatedly violated Iran’s own laws by, among other things, holding the Post reporter for months – often in solitary confinement – before bringing charges, allowing him nearly no pretrial contact with his defense lawyer, failing to inform him or his lawyer of the verdict or sentence after completion of a sham trial in August, and ignoring a deadline for release in the absence of a public conviction. Trevithick, who is from Hingham, Massachusetts, co-founded a research center based in Turkey that assesses the humanitarian crisis in the area and traveled to Iran in September for a four-month language program.

“If you take an American hostage, Barack Obama will cut a deal with you, whether it’s Bergdahl, what he did with the Castro brothers, and now what he’s done with Iran”. Her rival for the Democratic nomination, Bernie Sanders, offered unreserved praise for the diplomacy. Levinson is the former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and Central Intelligence Agency contractor who went missing in Iran in 2007.

The agreement also calls for Iranian officials to “continue cooperating with the United States to determine the whereabouts of Robert Levinson”, a US official said. As described in Iranian media, the deal does not appear to include Levinson, who is not Iranian-American.

The Iranian state news agency listed the seven as Nader Modanlo, Bahram Mechanic, Khosrow Afghani, Arash Ghahreman, Tooraj Faridi, Nima Golestaneh and Ali Saboun.