Five Americans who were wrongfully detained in Iran for years are finally on their way back to the United States. They were initially stopped in Doha, Qatar before continuing their journey home. Their release is part of a historic agreement that included the transfer of $6 billion in Iranian funds from South Korea to Qatar and the release of five Iranians in US custody. The deal was announced on Monday by the US State Department and the Qatari Foreign Ministry, and was facilitated by Qatar, Oman, Switzerland and South Korea.
The agreement marks a rare moment of diplomatic breakthrough between the US and Iran, which have been locked in a tense standoff over Iran’s nuclear program and regional activities. The US and Iran have not had formal diplomatic relations since 1980, and have been engaged in indirect talks in Vienna since April to revive the 2015 nuclear deal that former President Donald Trump withdrew from in 2018. The prisoner swap deal is seen as a potential confidence-building measure that could pave the way for more progress on the nuclear issue.
The freed Americans
The five Americans who were released from Iranian detention are:
- Siamak Namazi, a businessman who was arrested in 2015 on charges of having “relations with a hostile state”, referring to the US. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and was the longest-held Iranian-American prisoner in Iran.
- Baquer Namazi, Siamak’s father, who was also imprisoned in 2016 on similar charges. He was released in 2020 to receive medical treatment, but remained under house arrest until his departure.
- Emad Shargi, another businessman who was arrested in 2018 on allegations of espionage. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and had been held in solitary confinement for months.
- Morad Tahbaz, an environmentalist who was arrested in 2018 along with other members of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation on charges of spying for the US and Israel. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and had suffered from cancer and Covid-19 while incarcerated.
- Gholamrez Reza Shahini, a dual US-Iranian citizen who was arrested in 2016 while visiting his family in Iran. He was accused of “collaborating with a hostile government” and sentenced to 18 years in prison.
The five Americans were welcomed by Qatari officials and US diplomats upon their arrival in Doha on Monday. They expressed their gratitude to those who helped secure their release and their joy at being reunited with their families.
The released Iranians
The five Iranians who were released from US custody are:
- Masoud Soleimani, a stem cell researcher who was arrested in 2018 at a Chicago airport on charges of violating US sanctions by trying to export biological material to Iran. He was sentenced to time served and deported to Iran in 2019 as part of a previous prisoner swap deal that freed American student Xiyue Wang from Iran.
- Majid Taheri, a medical doctor who was arrested in 2019 on charges of violating US sanctions by transferring money to Iran through a UAE-based company. He was sentenced to time served and deported to Iran in 2020 as part of the same deal that freed Soleimani.
- Bahram Mechanic, an Iranian-American businessman who was arrested in 2016 on charges of exporting electronic components to Iran that could be used for military purposes. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served in 2020.
- Khosrow Afghahi, another Iranian-American businessman who was arrested along with Mechanic on the same charges. He also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served in 2020.
- Tooraj Faridi, an Iranian citizen who worked for Mechanic’s company and was also arrested on the same charges. He also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served in 2020.
The five Iranians were flown from the US to Qatar on Monday, where they were greeted by Iranian officials and Qatari mediators. They expressed their relief at being freed from what they called “unjust imprisonment” and their hope for better relations between Iran and the US.
A hopeful sign
The prisoner swap deal has been welcomed by both sides as a humanitarian gesture and a hopeful sign for future dialogue. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the deal “demonstrates that diplomacy is possible even in the most difficult of circumstances”. He also said that the US remains committed to securing the release of other Americans who are still detained or missing in Iran, such as former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared in Iran in 2007.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the deal shows that “constructive engagement works”. He also said that Iran is ready to continue talks with the US and other parties to revive the nuclear deal, which he called “the only reasonable solution” to end the impasse.
The deal has also been praised by other countries involved in the mediation efforts, such as Qatar, Oman, Switzerland and South Korea. Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said that the deal is “a glimmer of hope for regional stability and global peace”. He also said that Qatar will continue to play a constructive role in facilitating dialogue and cooperation in the region.