From the Liveblog of
Monday, June 26, 2023
Iran says hoping indirect talks with US will lead to prisoner swap
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran says it’s hoping indirect talks with the United States can lead to a “positive” outcome for a prisoner swap.
Iran announced earlier this month that it was engaged in Oman-mediated talks with its arch-nemesis the United States over its nuclear deal and a possible prisoner exchange.
“We are negotiating for the release of Iranian citizens through parties who play a role in good faith,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani says today.
“We have to see if the American government is ready to make a final decision in this regard,” he tells reporters, adding that Tehran hopes “to witness such a positive event.”
At least three Iranian-Americans are being held in Iran, including businessman Siamak Namazi, arrested in October 2015 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for espionage.
The other two are venture capitalist Emad Sharqi, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison on spying charges, and Morad Tahbaz, who also holds British nationality, and was jailed for 10 years for “conspiring with America.”
In the past two months, Iran released six European citizens and recovered an Iranian diplomat, Assadollah Assadi, who was convicted of terrorism and imprisoned in Belgium.
Kanani’s comment follow media reports that Washington and Tehran are close to an interim deal to replace the 2015 nuclear accord. The two sides have denied these reports.
The Times of Israel Community.