Three US prisoners freed by Iran arrive in Germany

– A family member of an American freed in Iran told CNN the U.S. State Department said that a plane carrying the Americans has taken off in Iran.

The exchange eases a 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.

The Washington Post confirmed that Rezaian has “safely left” Iran with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi.

A fifth prisoner, identified by US officials as Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari, decided not to leave Iran, senior White House officials said.

The wife of pastor Saeed Abedini, Naghmeh Abedini, tweeted Sunday morning that her husband “finally made it out of Iranian soil”.

They said Rezaian expressed appreciation for the unwavering support from his colleagues while noting that his social isolation during captivity was particularly hard. “The bigger issue is that we’ve legitimized a regime who shows no interest in actually moving toward the so-called community of nations”, Bush told voters at a town hall in Amherst, New Hampshire.

Ted Cruz on Sunday accused the Obama administration of releasing seven Iranian “terrorists” as part of a prisoner agreement that secured the release of four Americans, including Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian.

The International Atomic Energy Agency ruled on Saturday that Iran had fulfilled last year’s landmark agreement with the United States and five other world powers to curtail its nuclear program, triggering the end of sanctions.

But improved relations do not indicate a detente with Iran, which has a history of being a troublemaker in the region, said Dan Kalik, chief of staff at J Street, a “pro-Israel, pro-peace” advocacy group.

So why does the president believe the Iran deal proves “smart diplomacy” works?

The senator said the decision of the Obama administration to exchange Cuban prisoners for the release of American Alan Gross, and the decision to release Taliban prisoners in exchange for soldier Bowe Bergdahl, were encouragement for people to take Americans hostage as prisoners.

Like the Americans who’ve now been freed from prison in Iran, secret negotiations won them freedom, and some of them had spent years behind bars. “Each and every day, but especially today, our hearts are with the Levinson family, and we will not rest until their family is whole again”.

The attorney told KPRC that his client eventually plans to return to Iran.

Earlier Sunday, seven Iranian men walked free from detention in the United States after being pardoned and released, a lawyer for one of the men said.

Hekmati, 32, had been held in an Iranian prison since August 29, 2011.

Iranian media lists those freed as: Nader Modanlou, Bahram Mechanic, Khosrow Afqahi, Arash Ghahreman, Touraj Faridi, Nima Golestaneh and Ali Sabounchi.

The UN nuclear watchdog announced late Saturday that Iran had complied with its side of the July 2015 accord, allowing the lifting of sanctions. It continues to hold at least one American, businessman Siamak Namazi; another, former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Robert Levinson, remains missing. Speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, the official said efforts were underway to get the four together and on a plane out of Tehran.