Prisoner Exchange Will Take Up to Two Months: Iran to US

It will take a maximum of two months for the process of releasing US prisoners held in Iran, says Iran’s Foreign Ministry. Nasser Kanaani, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told a press conference that a specific time frame has been announced by the relevant authorities.

This comes after Iran and the US reached an agreement earlier this month for five American citizens held in the Islamic Republic to be freed, in exchange for the release of $6 billion of Iranian assets frozen in South Korea. The Iranian assets were transferred to Switzerland’s central bank last week for exchange and transfer to Iran. Washington is also set to release some Iranians from US prisons.

Meanwhile, Iranian authorities moved the five imprisoned Americans under house arrest earlier in the month. Some were taken from Tehran’s notorious Evin prison to a place in the capital where they were put under house arrest until the prisoner exchange occurred.

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The US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the US identified three American citizens held in Iran – Siamak Namazi, Emad Shargi and Morad Tahbaz. “We have received confirmation that Iran has released from prison five Americans who were unjustly detained and has placed them on house arrest. While this is an encouraging step, these US citizens (named) and two Americans, who at this time wish to remain private, should have never been detained in the first place.”

Watson said negotiations for their eventual release remain ongoing and are “delicate”.