Post’s Rezaian makes brief appearance outside hospital

“After serving as a Marine and then a contractor, he was preparing to attend the University of MI with the goal of a Master’s degree in Economics” and when he learned of his grandfather’s poor health Hekmati traveled to Iran.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who has been leading U.S. negotiations with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif, said the prisoners’ release wasn’t directly tied to the deal, but rather was more of a result of the diplomatic channels that had been opened between the two countries. A fifth American was also released unrelated to the swap.

Hekmati thanked President Barack Obama, Congress, and the Marine Corps.

“Despite all the difficulties …”

Abedini was expected to arrive in the United States on Thursday evening, according to his wife’s Facebook page. After a higher court ordered a retrial, he was sentenced in 2014 to 10 years on a lesser charge. His family and the US government steadfastly denied the charges, for which he was initially sentenced to life imprisonment, though that term was later reduced.

In a photo provided by the Hekmati family, Amir Hekmati (second from right) meets with relatives and U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, on Monday. Some of which were very inhumane and unjust.

Hekmati, who was imprisoned in August 2011 after being accused of spying for the Central Intelligence Agency, said he received no advance warning that he was going to be freed.

News of his eventual release was sudden and unexpected, Hekmati told reporters.

Although there is no clear path for greater U.S.-Iran contacts after more than 35 years of diplomatic estrangement, the high-level connections forged during the long nuclear talks have raised suggestions of new opportunities for interaction.

A former marine, hekmati said Tuesday it was his regard for his fellow Marines that kept him going, especially after some of them organized an online hunger strike to support him. The men waited almost 2 1/2 days before they were allowed to board a Swiss plane that took them out of Iran.

Posing for the cameras with his wife and family outside the USA military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, he said that he was “feeling fine”.

Former Marine Amir Hekmati, in his first public appearance, described his nervy final moments in the Middle Eastern nation – and declared that he was proud to be an American. US officials have said they are not sure if he is still alive. He was the newspaper’s Tehran bureau chief.

Iran never responded to queries from the group, which is charged with investigating cases of arbitrary detention and allegations of illegal treatment of prisoners.

For now, however, he will not speak about his ordeal further and devote his time to family.

The video was filmed at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where Rezaian was being treated.