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Iran has released Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian along with three other US prisoners in an alleged prisoner swap, according to Iranian media.
The Iranian judiciary announced the release of four US prisoners: Jason Rezaian, former marine Amir Hekmati, Christian pastor Saeed Abedini and Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari.
The four were said to have been released as part of a prisoner exchange, in which seven Iranian-US dual nationals were released from prison in the United States. Six of the seven were awaiting trial.
Jason Rezaian, a Washington Post correspondent, was arrested in July 2014 with his wife, also a journalist. He was charged with a number of offences, including espionage and could face up to 20 years in prison.
The fourth hearing in his trial was held on August 10, 2015.
On October 11, Iranian media reported that judicial authorities had issued a verdict in Rezaian's case, but provided no further details.
Iranian officials have repeatedly raised the idea of a prisoner swap, suggesting that Americans jailed in Iran could be exchanged with Iranians held by the United States for violating sanctions. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said in an interview with CBS in September that he is open to some kind of prisoner swap.
According to a Reuters report, Iranian officials have met recently with Iranian prisoners in the United States to see if they would be willing to return to Iran if a prisoner swap was agreed.
Read more about Jason Rezaian on his profile.
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