US officials have reported that Iran has released five dual nationals of US and Iranian citizenship into house arrest.
Among the released individuals are Siamak Namazi, Emad Shargi, and Morad Tahbaz, the latter also holding a British passport. An additional unidentified man was also released, as confirmed by a lawyer representing one of the detainees.
A fifth American dual national had already been freed, according to a statement from a US national security official.
The process of securing their release involved negotiations between Iran and the United States.
Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, commented, “While this is a positive step, these US citizens should have never been subjected to detention in the first place.” She reiterated the commitment to bringing all the detainees back to the United States.
These releases are connected to discussions regarding Iranian assets worth $6 billion (£4.7 billion), which had been frozen in South Korea, as reported by US media.
Visual confirmation has been made that four of the dual nationals have left Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, according to Jared Genser, an attorney representing one of the detainees.
Babak Namazi, the brother of Siamak Namazi, expressed cautious optimism: “We appreciate this positive development, but our ultimate goal remains the safe return of Siamak and the others to their families.”
Siamak Namazi, aged 51, was initially arrested in 2015 and subsequently sentenced to a decade in prison on charges related to national security.
The sister of Emad Shargi, aged 58, voiced trust in the efforts of President Biden and government officials to secure his release, following his detention in April 2018.
Morad Tahbaz, aged 67, a businessman and advocate for wildlife conservation, was apprehended during a crackdown on environmental activists in January 2018.
Recent years have seen Iran detain and imprison multiple dual nationals on charges typically related to national security.
Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the US State Department, revealed that two of the five released individuals have chosen to remain anonymous.
He added that efforts are being made to ensure the health and well-being of these individuals and to maintain contact with their families.
Negotiations spanning several years have aimed to secure the release of these detainees as part of a potential exchange involving Iranians imprisoned in Western countries, alongside the potential easing of US sanctions on Iran.
While sources close to the talks suggest that the released US citizens might leave Iran in the coming weeks, no details of the potential deal have been confirmed by the White House.