The United States and Iran have reached an agreement to secure the release of five imprisoned Americans in exchange for several jailed Iranians and eventual access to approximately $6 billion in Iranian oil revenue, according to multiple sources familiar with the deal.
After more than two years of confidential negotiations, Iran has taken the first step in the agreement by releasing five Iranian American dual citizens into house arrest, as confirmed by the lawyer representing one of the prisoners.
Jared Genser, the lawyer for Siamak Namazi, one of the Americans released on Thursday, stated, “The move by Iran of the American hostages from Evin Prison to house arrest is an important development.”
The prisoners include Emad Sharghi and Morad Tahbaz, who were both imprisoned on unfounded charges of spying, as well as two others whose identities have been withheld by their families. According to sources familiar with the release arrangements, one of the unnamed Americans is a scientist, while the other is a businessman.
On Thursday, the three named prisoners and another individual were transferred from Evin Prison to a hotel in Tehran, where they will be held for several weeks before being allowed to board a plane, according to Mr. Genser. Additionally, an American woman had previously been released into house arrest, according to sources familiar with the arrangements.
Mr. Genser emphasized, “While I hope this will be the first step to their ultimate release, this is at best the beginning of the end and nothing more. But there are simply no guarantees about what happens from here.”
He further stated that the Americans were informed they would be guarded by Iranian officials during their stay at the hotel.
Officials from the Biden administration declined to comment or confirm specific details regarding what Iran will receive in return. However, sources familiar with the agreement revealed that once the Americans are allowed to return to the United States, the Biden administration will release a few Iranian nationals who are serving prison sentences for violating sanctions on Iran.
Furthermore, the United States will transfer approximately $6 billion of Iran’s assets in South Korea to an account in the central bank of Qatar, as per the sources. The account will be controlled by the government of Qatar and regulated in a way that allows Iran to access the funds solely for humanitarian purchases such as medicine and food.
This deal with Iran, a longstanding adversary of the United States, is the latest in a series of covert prisoner swaps orchestrated by the Biden administration to secure the release of Americans who are deemed to be wrongfully detained in foreign countries by the State Department.
Siamak Namazi, 51, has been held in Evin Prison since 2015, serving a 10-year sentence on charges of “collaborating with a hostile state.” Mr. Sharghi, a businessman, was also sentenced…
2023-08-10 11:42:54
Source from www.nytimes.com
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