Released Americans Have Not Left Iran Yet: Senior Iranian Official

From Geneva, they are to be flown to a USA air base in Germany.

The official says work is proceeding on getting the four Americans together and putting them on a plane out of Tehran.

A fifth prisoner, the American student Matthew Trevithick, was released separately from the other four, a US official said. There were no additional details.

The fourth man, Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari, about whom little is known, is not among them, a USA official said. A statement from a senior White House official did not name specific prisoners and provided only sparse details.

Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post’s bureau chief in Tehran, was detained in July 2014 and jailed in Tehran’s Evin prison.

“We are relieved that this 545-day nightmare for Jason and his family is finally over”, Post publisher Frederick J. Ryan Jr. said Sunday morning, minutes after the plane carrying Rezaian lifted off from Tehran. Hekmati went to Iran to visit family and spend time with his ailing grandmother.

President Barack Obama said Sunday “tireless” diplomacy made the prisoners’ release possible.

Rezaian, who has covered Iran for the Post since 2012, grew up in Marin County, California, and spent most of his life in the United States.

The seven Iranian detainees in US were named by Iran’s state news agency as Nader Modanlo, Bahram Mechanic, Khosrow Afghani, Arash Ghahreman, Tooraj Faridi, Nima Golestaneh and Ali Saboun.

The latest developments as Iran and world powers implement a landmark deal reached previous year to curb Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of global sanctions (all times local). The pact, which Israel has repeatedly condemned along with some members of the U.S. Congress, drew more attacks on Saturday from GOP presidential contenders, of which some called it a sell out to the clerical rulers of Iran.

Reports had previously circulated that Iran was seeking the release of a number of its nationals held in USA custody on various charges related to violating sanctions against Iran.

State television announced four prisoners were released but did not reveal their identities, according to the Associated Press.

Another official said that the exchange was a “one-time arrangement because it was an opportunity to bring Americans home”, and should not be considered something that would “encourage this behavior in the future” by Iran. There is hope “that having Amir back gives him some strength”. “The supporters were really like fresh water during a marathon, they kept me going”.

“We offered clemency to seven Iranians, six of whom are dual US-Iranian citizens, who had been convicted or are pending trial in the United States”, the official added.

Hekmati, whose father is a community college professor in Flint, graduated from Flint Central High School in 2001, went into the Marines after Navy JROTC and later founded his own company that specialized in translating Arabic and Persian.

In addition, the USA will drop Interpol “red notices” – essentially arrest warrants – on 14 Iranian fugitives it has sought, officials said.

Rubio also noted that Central Intelligence Agency contractor Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran in 2007, is not among those released. “But you know, the Iranians have treated this president with disrespect for years and he continues to take it. I would not take it as president”. “We should not forget Mr. Levinson and his situation”, Rubio said. “But once again, Bob Levinson has been left behind”, the Levinson family said in a statement. Kerry conveyed that message to U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on December 29 and the sanctions have been delayed until after the swap, the officials said.

The officials who briefed reporters denied that the negotiations were ever linked, even if they developed in tandem. The Swiss government, which has been helping to coordinate the release in the absence of a US embassy in Tehran, is still working to get them to the Tehran airport, said two USA officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the not-yet-completed transfer.