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☆ Iran Released Five American Prisoners
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Five Americans who had been imprisoned in Iran left the country today after the U.S. negotiated their release, President Biden said. The agreement involved unfreezing $6 billion in Iranian oil revenue and dismissing federal charges against five Iranians. The Americans are returning to the U.S., but three of the Iranians declined to return to Iran, according to U.S. officials. The American prisoners had been jailed in Iran on unsubstantiated charges of spying, and some had been held for years in Evin Prison, one of the country’s most notorious detention centers. News of the arrangement has generated intense criticism from Republicans who say that releasing billions in oil revenue amounts to paying a ransom and that it could lead to the taking of more hostages.

Persons: Biden, Siamak, Emad, Morad, — Organizations: Biden, U.S Locations: Iran, Doha, Qatar, U.S

☆ What we know about 3 of the Americans who were released from Iranian detention
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Shawna Mizelle | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Two additional Americans in the deal have not yet been publicly identified. His father, Baquer, was also imprisoned in 2016 but was released in order to receive medical treatment in October 2022. Tahbaz is a US, UK and Iranian citizen who was arrested on allegations of espionage while on a trip to Iran. He spent eight months in jail and was released on bail but had a travel ban. In November 2020, he was sentenced to 10 years in jail by a Revolutionary Court for espionage charges.

Persons: Emad, Morad, Siamak Namazi, ” Namazi, Baquer, Tahbaz’s, Tara, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, ”, ” Tara Tahbaz, Kavous Seyed, Shargi, Hannah Sharghi, Sharghi, “, Tahbaz Organizations: Washington CNN, UN, Doha International Airport, AFP, Getty Images, Getty, Human Rights, Wildlife Heritage –, Wildlife Heritage Foundation, CNN, Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation, Revolutionary, US State Department Locations: Iran, South Korea, Qatar, Dubai, Doha, AFP, Tahbaz, US

☆ How Iran and the US reached the prisoner swap deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Parisa Hafezi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Sept 18 (Reuters) - Iran and the U.S. were to swap five detainees each on Monday after Qatar mediated a deal between the arch foes that also unfroze $6 billion of Tehran's funds. The transfer of Iran's funds has drawn Republican criticism that President Joe Biden, a Democrat, is in effect paying ransom for U.S. citizens. WHY WERE IRAN'S FUNDS FROZEN IN SOUTH KOREA? He also reimposed harsh U.S. sanctions designed to choke off Iran's oil exports as part of a "maximum pressure" campaign on the Islamic Republic. Seoul, normally one of Iran’s largest oil customers, received a waiver in 2018 from the United States to continue purchases of Iranian oil for several months.

Persons: Joe Biden, Tehran's, Dado Ruvic, Siamak Namazi, Emad Shargi, Morad Tahbaz, Mehrdad Moin, Ansari, Kambiz Attar, Kashani, Reza Sarhangpour, Amin Hassanzadeh, Kaveh, Donald Trump, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Khamenei, Parisa Hafezi, William Maclean Organizations: Qatar, Reuters, Iranian Foreign, Democrat, Doha, U.S, Iranian, REUTERS, WHO, United Nations, KOREA, Washington, U.S ., Islamic, Thomson Locations: Iran, U.S, Qatar, Doha, Tehran, Qatar's, United States, Iranian, Lebanon, Israel's, Washington, Islamic Republic, Seoul, IRAN

CNN —The Iranian government now has access to $6 billion of their funds to be used for humanitarian purposes as a part of a wider deal that allowed five Americans who had been imprisoned in Iran to go free. Sources told CNN the funds came from oil sales that were allowed and placed into accounts set up under the Trump administration. The money is now available to the Iranian government for purchase of non-sanctionable items such as food and medicine. Kirby said that statement was “flat out wrong.”“This is not a payment of any kind, it’s not ransom, these aren’t US taxpayer dollars, and we haven’t lifted a single one of our sanctions on Iran – Iran will be getting no sanctions relief,” Kirby said. “The money will then go to qualified vendors to purchase and deliver the food, the medical supplies, into Iran.

Persons: Biden, John Kirby, Trump, Antony Blinken, Ebrahim Raisi, Kirby, ” Kirby, “, ”, Trita, Republican Sen, Tom Cotton of, Mike Pence –, Pence, Sen, Tim Scott, Blinken, Janet Yellen Organizations: CNN, Qatar, Republicans, State Department, Ukraine, Biden, US Treasury Department, Qatari National Bank, Quincy Institute, Republican, House, Tehran – Locations: Iran, South Korea, Qatar, Europe, White, Doha, Washington ,, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Tehran, China, United States

☆ Opinion | The More They Lock Us Up, the Stronger We Become
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Narges Mohammadi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

My fellow inmates and I were gathered in the women’s ward of Evin prison in Tehran one evening when we saw a television report of Mahsa Amini’s death. In the women’s ward, we were filled with grief — and rage. Other women’s wards also filled up. Other women have been sent to high-security wards, including Evin’s Section 209, run by the Ministry of Intelligence. A detainee who was transferred to Evin from Adelabad prison in Shiraz told us of hundreds of new female detainees in Adelabad.

Persons: Mahsa, —, we’d, Anger, Islamic Republic ”, Amini’s Organizations: Islamic, Ministry of Intelligence Locations: women’s, Tehran, Evin, Islamic Republic, Shiraz, Adelabad

☆ Iran Optimistic Prisoner Swap With U.S. Will Happen in 'Near Future'-Foreign Ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran is optimistic a prisoner swap with Washington will happen "in the near future", Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday, adding that Tehran's frozen $6 billion assets in South Korea will be unblocked in the coming days. However, Nasser Kanaani said the two issues were not linked to one another. As a first step, Iran on Aug. 10 released four U.S. citizens from Tehran’s Evin prison into house arrest, where they joined a fifth, who was already under house arrest. Later that day U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the move the first step of a process that would lead to their return home. (Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Toby Chopra)

Persons: Nasser Kanaani, Antony Blinken, Toby Chopra Organizations: Reuters, Washington, U.S, Dubai Newsroom Locations: DUBAI, Iran, South Korea, Qatar, U.S, Tehran’s

☆ Iran optimistic prisoner swap with U.S. will happen in "near future"-foreign ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The Iranian and U.S. flags are seen printed on paper in this illustration taken January 27, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDUBAI, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Iran is optimistic a prisoner swap with Washington will happen "in the near future", Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday, adding that Tehran's frozen $6 billion assets in South Korea will be unblocked in the coming days. As a first step, Iran on Aug. 10 released four U.S. citizens from Tehran’s Evin prison into house arrest, where they joined a fifth, who was already under house arrest. Later that day U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the move the first step of a process that would lead to their return home. Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Nasser Kanaani, Antony Blinken, Toby Chopra Organizations: Iranian, REUTERS, Rights, Washington, Reuters, U.S, Dubai Newsroom, Thomson Locations: U.S, Rights DUBAI, Iran, South Korea, Qatar, Tehran’s

☆ Events in Iran since Mahsa Amini's death in custody
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

People light a fire during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being arrested by the Islamic republic's "morality police", in Tehran, Iran September 21, 2022. Security forces and demonstrators clash in some cities in Kurdistan province. Oct. 3 - Khamenei backs the security forces. March 7 - Iran says at least 53 members of security forces were killed during the protests. July 16 - Iran's morality police resume hijab street patrolsCompiled by Tom Perry and Parisa Hafezi, Editing by William MacleanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mahsa, Mahsa Amini, Amini, Ebrahim Raisi, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Amini's, Khamenei, Emmanuel Macron, Raisi, Tom Perry, Parisa, William Maclean Organizations: West Asia News Agency, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Security, Authorities, Revolutionary Guards, Amnesty International, TV, Guards, Bushehr Petrochemical Project, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Tehran, Iran, WANA, Rights DUBAI, Iranian Kurdish, Iran's Kurdistan, Saqez, Kurdistan province, Kurdish, Iraq, Zahedan, Abadan, Bushehr

☆ Iran, US on Verge of Prisoner Swap Under Qatar-Mediated Deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +9 min

"Iran initially wanted direct access to the funds but in the end agreed to having access via Qatar," said a senior diplomat. Reuters pieced together this account of previously unreported details about the extent of Qatari mediation of the secret talks, how the deal unfolded and the expediency that motivated both parties to clinch the prisoner swap deal. Ties between the U.S. and Iran have been at boiling point since Donald Trump quit a nuclear deal with Iran as U.S. president in 2018. Reaching another nuclear deal has gained little traction since then, as President Joe Biden prepares for the 2024 U.S. election. Then president Trump in 2018 reimposed the sanctions when he pulled Washington out of a deal under which Iran had restricted its nuclear program.

Persons: Parisa Hafezi, Andrew Mills, Antony Blinken, Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz, hasn’t, Jin, Washington, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, Blinken, Iran’s, Trump, Iran Robert Malley, Abram Paley, Ali Bagheri Kani, Mehdi Safari, Foreign Ministry Mohammed Al, Khulaifi, Malley, Paley, Kani, Al Khulaifi, Laila Bassam, Samia Nakhoul, William Maclean Organizations: Reuters, U.S, British, Islamic, Washington, Doha, Iranian, State Department, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The State Department, Democrat, Qatari, TRANSIT QATAR, Iran, The Central Bank of, U.S ., State, Foreign Ministry Locations: Andrew Mills DUBAI, DOHA, Qatar, Iran, U.S, Tehran’s, Emad Sharqi, Islamic Republic, Western, Gulf, South Korea, Washington, Switzerland, Tehran, Seoul, Doha, Iranian, The Central Bank of Iran, Beirut

☆ E.U. Official Held in Iran Prison in Brutal Conditions, Family Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Matina Stevis-Gridneff | More About Matina Stevis-Gridneff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Ten months with no communication with his family. A cell that’s fully lit around the clock. These are some of conditions faced by Johan Floderus, a European Union official from Sweden who was arrested in Iran in April last year and has been held hostage since, his family revealed on Sunday. Last week The New York Times was the first to report on his incarceration at Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, after E.U. and Swedish authorities kept it under wraps for more than 500 days.

Persons: Johan Floderus Organizations: European Union, New York Times Locations: Sweden, Iran

Persons: Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, Iran Dr, Ali Bagheri, Antony Blinken, Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz, hasn’t, Jin, Washington, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, Blinken, Iran’s, Trump, Iran Robert Malley, Abram Paley, Ali Bagheri Kani, Mehdi Safari, Foreign Ministry Mohammed Al, Khulaifi, Malley, Paley, Kani, Al Khulaifi, Laila Bassam, Samia Nakhoul, William Maclean Organizations: Regional Affairs, Political Affairs, Qatar News Agency, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, Qatar, Qatar DUBAI, U.S, Reuters, British, Islamic, Washington, Doha, Iranian, State Department, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The State Department, Democrat, Qatari, TRANSIT QATAR, Iran, The Central Bank of, U.S ., State, Foreign Ministry, Thomson Locations: Islamic Republic, Iran, Tehran, Qatar Gulf, DOHA, Qatar, U.S, Tehran’s, Emad Sharqi, Western, Gulf, South Korea, Washington, Switzerland, Seoul, Doha, Iranian, The Central Bank of Iran, Beirut

☆ Iran, US on verge of prisoner swap under Qatar-mediated deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Reuters pieced together this account of previously unreported details about the extent of Qatari mediation of the secret talks, how the deal unfolded and the expediency that motivated both parties to clinch the prisoner swap deal. 'You can build trust'The U.S. administration has not commented on the timing of the funds transfer. Ties between the U.S. and Iran have been at boiling point since Donald Trump quit a nuclear deal with Iran as U.S. president in 2018. Reaching another nuclear deal has gained little traction since then, as President Joe Biden prepares for the 2024 U.S. election. Then president Trump in 2018 reimposed the sanctions when he pulled Washington out of a deal under which Iran had restricted its nuclear program.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz, hasn't, Jin, Washington, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, Blinken, Trump, Iran Robert Malley, Abram Paley, Ali Bagheri Kani, Mehdi Safari, Foreign Ministry Mohammed Al, Khulaifi, Malley, Paley, Kani, Al Khulaifi Organizations: Capitol, Iranian, National, Washington D.C, U.S, Reuters, British, Islamic, Washington, Doha, State Department, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The State Department, Democrat, Qatari, Iran, The Central Bank of, U.S ., State, Foreign Ministry Locations: Iranian, Washington, United States, Qatar, Iran, U.S, Tehran's, Emad Sharqi, Islamic Republic, Western, Gulf, South Korea, Switzerland, Tehran, Seoul, Doha, The Central Bank of Iran

☆ Family of Swede detained in Iran calls for international support
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

STOCKHOLM, Sept 10 (Reuters) - The family of a Swedish EU employee detained in Iran have urged the international community to help secure his release after over 500 days of incarceration for alleged spying, his family said on Sunday. "The family, friends, and supporters of Johan are calling for urgent international attention to secure his immediate release and safe return to Europe," the family wrote on a weabite dedicated to his release, on his 33rd birthday. They said that starting in February 2023 Floderus was restricted to making short phone calls once a month. For years, Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have arrested dozens of dual nationals and foreigners, mostly on espionage and security-related charges. He was sentenced to life in prison last year, prompting Iran to recall its envoy to Sweden in protest.

Persons: Josep Borrell, Johan Floderus, Johan, Floderus, Marie, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Revolutionary Guards, Marie Mannes, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, Swedish, Iran, Islamic Republic, Europe, Tehran, Stockholm, Sweden

☆ Iran's Raisi urges Japan to release frozen funds, then wavers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi attends a joint press conference with Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (not pictured) at the State House in Harare, Zimbabwe, on July 13, 2023. "Japan should act independently from the U.S. by releasing our blocked funds," Raisi said when asked by a Japanese reporter about $1.5 billion of blocked funds in Japan. "I must clarify that our Central Bank earlier said we only had unjustly frozen funds in South Korea. All other assets abroad are at the disposal of Iran's Central Bank," Raisi said. Tehran and Washington have reached an agreement in which five U.S. citizens held in Iran will be freed in exchange for $6 billion of Iranian assets frozen in South Korea.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mohammad Javad Ostad, Raisi, Tehran's, Andrew Cawthorne, Nick Macfie Organizations: Zimbabwean, State House, Iran's, West Asia News Agency, REUTERS, Rights, Central Bank, Iran's Central Bank, U.S, Dubai Newsroom, Thomson Locations: Harare, Zimbabwe, Japan, Washington, South Korea, U.S, Tehran, Iran, Qatar

☆ US asks Iran to stop selling drones to Russia-FT
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] An image shows Iranian drone transfer to Russia, as evidence of new Russian-Iran cooperation, in this handout acquired June 9, 2023. White House/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 16 (Reuters) - U.S. is pushing Iran to stop selling armed drones to Russia as part of discussions on a broader unwritten understanding between Washington and Tehran to de-escalate tensions, the Financial Times said on Wednesday, citing people briefed on the matter. The U.S. is pressing Iran to stop selling armed drones to Russia, which Moscow is using in the war in Ukraine, as well as spare parts for the unmanned aircraft, the report said, citing an Iranian official and another person familiar with the talks. The news comes as Washington and Iran are trying to ease tensions and revive broader talks over Iran's nuclear program. Iran allowed four detained U.S. citizens to move into house arrest from Tehran's Evin prison while a fifth was already under home confinement.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Tehran's, Lavanya, Himani Sarkar, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, Financial Times, Iranian, U.S, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia, Russian, Iran, White, Washington, Tehran, de, U.S, Moscow, Ukraine, South Korea, Bengaluru

WASHINGTON, Aug 15 (Reuters) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday he could not confirm a report that Iran slowed its pace of amassing near-weapons-grade enriched uranium but would welcome any Iranian steps to de-escalate its "growing nuclear threat." On Thursday, sources said Iran may free five detained U.S. citizens as part of a deal to unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian funds in South Korea. Iran allowed four detained U.S. citizens to move into house arrest from prison. "Of course, we would welcome any steps that Iran takes to actually deescalate the growing nuclear threat that it has posed since the United States got out of the Iran nuclear deal," Blinken told a news conference, alluding to former U.S. President Donald Trump's 2018 abandonment of that agreement. Blinken emphasized that the agreement included U.S. citizens who have all been designated as wrongfully detained and said Washington would continue to examine other cases.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Donald Trump's, Roya Hakakian, Sherry Hakimi, Nazanin Boniadi, Leah Millis, Iran's, I'm, Shahab Dalili, Biden, Dalili, we're, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis, Arshad Mohammed, Daphne Psaledakis, Josie Kao Organizations: U.S, Union and United Nations, Iranian, U.S . State Department, REUTERS, State Department, Thomson Locations: Iran, U.S, South Korea, United States, American, Iranian, Washington , U.S, Washington

Befitting the relationship, the path has been thorny, according to accounts shared with CNN by several sources familiar with the talks. The United States and Iran don’t have diplomatic relations, and public overtures by Washington to engage directly with Tehran on the matter were rebuffed. Swiss diplomats serve as the protecting power – the eyes and ears on the ground – for the US in Iran. Sources said that bringing the Americans back home had been a priority from the outset of President Joe Biden’s tenure. Now, US officials say the work continues, but they are cautiously optimistic that the five could be coming home.

Persons: “, Antony Blinken, –, Adrienne Watson, Trump, Biden, Joe Biden’s, Morad, Shargi –, Namazi, Obama, ” Blinken Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, Washington, National Security, White, US Treasury, State Department, US Treasury Department, Biden Locations: Iran, Doha, –, Washington, Tehran, United States, East, Europe, Qatar, Oman, United Kingdom, Switzerland, American, Swiss, South Korea

☆ Iran Releases Four Americans From Evin Prison
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Vivian Salama | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

American Siamak Namazi in an undated photo released in February 2016. He was arrested while on a business trip to Iran in 2015. Photo: handout/ReutersWASHINGTON—Iran released four jailed Americans and placed them under house arrest on Thursday with the intention of allowing them to travel to the U.S. in the coming weeks, following a monthslong diplomatic push by the Biden administration, the White House and an attorney for the families said.

Persons: Biden Organizations: White Locations: Iran, WASHINGTON — Iran

☆ Four Americans wrongfully detained in Iran released on house arrest, signaling a potential end to their imprisonment
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Christiane Amanpour | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Four Americans who have been wrongfully detained in Iran have been released from prison and are now under house arrest, a lawyer for one of the prisoners told CNN on Thursday, a sign that they may soon be freed from years of imprisonment. “The move by Iran of the American hostages from Evin Prison to an expected house arrest is an important development,” said Jared Genser, pro bono counsel to Siamak Namazi, one of those released. The Biden administration has been engaged in negotiations to try to secure their release from Iran, a country with which it does not have diplomatic relations. Genser strongly cautioned against being overly optimistic about freedom for the Americans until they are actually out of Iran. CNN has reached out to the US State Department and National Security Council for comment.

Persons: ”, Jared Genser, Siamak, – Namazi, Emad, Morad Tahbaz, Biden, Genser Organizations: CNN, Four, US State Department and National Security Council Locations: Iran, American, Tehran’s

One other prisoner, an American woman, had been released into house arrest earlier, according to several people familiar with the arrangements. “But there are simply no guarantees about what happens from here.”He said the Americans were told they would be held at the hotel under guard by Iranian officials. Biden administration officials declined to comment or to confirm details about what Iran will get in return. But the people familiar with the agreement said that when the Americans are allowed to return to the United States, the Biden administration will release a handful of Iranian nationals serving prison sentences for violating sanctions on Iran. The United States will also transfer nearly $6 billion of Iran’s assets in South Korea, putting the funds into an account in the central bank of Qatar, according to the people familiar with the deal.

Persons: Genser, Mr, ”, Biden, United States — Organizations: Evin, United, State Department Locations: Iran, Tehran, American, United States, South Korea, Qatar

Siamak Namazi, left, a U.S. citizen who has been held prisoner in Iran for nearly eight years, with his father, Baquer Namazi. The U.S. government has identified three American citizens held in Iran — Siamak Namazi, Emad Shargi and Morad Tahbaz. NBC News first reported on the prisoner exchange negotiations in February. The families of the Americans held in Iran say their loved ones are "hostages" taken captive on false charges and used as bargaining chips by the government. And Siamak Namazi has been held prisoner in Iran for nearly eight years, longer than any of the other current American detainees.

Persons: Siamak Namazi, Baquer Namazi, Barack Obama, Emad, Shahab Dalili, Jared Genser, Namazi, Joe Biden, Obama, Biden, Donald Trump, Tahbaz, Shargi, Baquer, Robert Levinson, Levinson, Bob Levinson Organizations: NBC, Administration, NBC News, International Atomic Energy Agency, U.S, Congress, British, Tufts, Rutgers, FBI, CIA Locations: U.S, Iran, Tehran, Washington, Qatar, South Korea, United States, Israel, Iranian American, Iranian, Iran's

"The move by Iran of the American hostages from Evin Prison to an expected house arrest is an important development," Genser said in a statement. A second source familiar with the indirect U.S.-Iranian talks said it could be weeks before the U.S. citizens could leave Iran, saying September was a possible time frame. Namazi, who in 2016 was convicted of espionage-related charges the United States has rejected as baseless, has been detained by Iran for more than seven years. His father, Baquer, was allowed to leave Iran in October for medical treatment after being detained on similar charges also rejected by Washington. Tahbaz was arrested in 2018 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for "assembly and collusion against Iran's national security" and working for the United States as a spy.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Tehran's, Siamak Namazi, Emad Shargi, Morad Tahbaz, Jared Genser, Genser, Adrienne Watson, Joe Biden, Baquer, Tahbaz, Shargi, Arshad Mohammed, Parisa Hafezi, Humeyra Pamuk, Jeff Mason, Jasper Ward, Dan Whitcomb, Mark Porter, Lisa Shumaker, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, WASHINGTON, U.S, Iranian, Security, eventual, Democrat, Washington, Iran's, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Iran, South Korea, United States, U.S, Washington, Tehran, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Dubai

"The move by Iran of the American hostages from Evin Prison ... is an important development," Genser said in a statement. Iran's mission to the United Nations, however, told Iranian state media the release of the dual nationals from prison was part of a U.S.-Iranian prisoner exchange deal. The five Americans will be allowed to leave Iran after $6 billion of Iranian funds in South Korea are unfrozen, a source told Reuters. Karim Sadjadpour, a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace analyst, said Iranian Americans should still avoid travel to Iran. "This deal will reinforce the view of (Iran's) Revolutionary Guards that hostage taking is a lucrative practice with minimal costs," he said.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Tehran's, Siamak Namazi, Emad Shargi, Morad Tahbaz, Jared Genser, Genser, Adrienne Watson, Joe Biden, Henry Rome, Donald Trump, Karim Sadjadpour, Namazi, Tahbaz, Shargi, Arshad Mohammed, Parisa Hafezi, Humeyra Pamuk, Jeff Mason, Jasper Ward, Dan Whitcomb, Mark Porter, Lisa Shumaker, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, WASHINGTON, U.S, Iranian, National Security, United Nations, Reuters, South, Democrat, Washington Institute for Near East, Republican, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, Guards, Iran's, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Iran, South Korea, United States, U.S, Washington, Tehran, Qatar, IRAN, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Rome, Dubai

☆ Even in Prison, She’s ‘an Indomitable Voice’ for Freedom in Iran
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

When Narges Mohammadi was just a little girl, her mother told her to never become political. The price of fighting the system in a country like Iran would be too high. That warning has proved prescient. Ms. Mohammadi, 51, Iran’s most prominent human rights and women’s rights activist, is now serving a 10-year jail sentence in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison for “spreading anti-state propaganda.”Her current imprisonment is hardly her first encounter with Iran’s harsh approach to dissent. Over the past 30 years, Iran’s government has penalized her over and over for her activism and her writing, depriving her of most of what she holds dear — her career as an engineer, her health, time with her parents, husband and children, and her liberty.

Persons: Narges Mohammadi, Mohammadi, ”, — Locations: Iran

☆ Iran: Journalists who reported on Mahsa Amini's death stand trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Mostafa Salem | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Two journalists responsible for breaking the story of Mahsa Amini, the Kurdish-Iranian woman killed after being held in custody by Iran’s morality police last year, stood trial in an Iranian court this week. The two women separately stood trial on Monday and Tuesday in a revolutionary court presided over by notorious judge Abolghasem Salavati, according to Iranian pro-reform outlet SharghDaily. Protesters in downtown Tehran, Iran, after the death Mahsa Amini. Mohammadi, who also stood trial in a separate hearing, was arrested after reporting on Amini’s funeral in September, according to RSF and the UN. Hamedi, Mohammadi and another detained journalist, Narges Mohammadi, were awarded the prestigious 2023 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize for outstanding contribution to press freedom.

Persons: Mahsa Amini, Niloufar, Elaheh, Abolghasem Salavati, Amini, Hamedi, SharghDaily, Mohammad Hossein Ajorloo, Mohammadi, RSF, Narges Mohammadi, Guillermo Cano, ” Zainab Salbi Organizations: CNN, UN, Twitter, UNESCO, “ Locations: Kurdish, Iran, Tehran

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