According to the IRNA News Agency (Iran), Iran and the US reached an agreement on prisoner exchange on August 10.
Under the deal, five Iranian prisoners in the US and five American prisoners in Iran will be exchanged. According to IRNA, all of the detained Americans are of Iranian origin.
Iran does not recognize dual nationality and has not had diplomatic relations with the United States since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The progress in releasing these detainees came after intense and behind-closed-doors negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Iran confirmed in June indirect talks with the US through Oman, the traditional mediator between the two sides.
In a related development, Iran's Foreign Ministry announced on August 10 that South Korean banks have agreed to release Iranian assets frozen there under previous US sanctions.
The ministry said the assets had been illegally frozen by the US for several years, and announced that Iran had received assurances from the US that the assets would be released. It also announced that the US would release some of its citizens.
Reuters news agency sources said the frozen funds were worth over $6 billion and were part of a prisoner swap deal.
The prisoner exchange negotiations will take place over several weeks and will likely conclude in September. According to a VNA correspondent in the US, the White House confirmed the information about the prisoner exchange agreement on August 10.
The White House said the Americans returned under the deal included Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz, Emad Shargi and two others who did not want their identities disclosed.
US National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said the five US citizens have all completed their prison terms and are under house arrest.
The United States will continue to monitor their condition as closely as possible and ensure the return of all five to the United States. Negotiations between the two sides are ongoing and the United States will not provide further details on this matter.
In addition, the statement of the Iranian Mission to the UN stated that the above result is part of a humanitarian cooperation agreement brokered by a third-party government. Accordingly, Iran and the US agreed to release and pardon five prisoners from each side.
The transfer of these prisoners from prison marks an important first step in implementing this agreement.
According to VNA/Vietnam+
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