UPDATED 9/19 5:56 A.M.
DOHA/NEW YORK (Reuters) -A plane carrying five Americans freed by Iran landed in the United States on Tuesday, a day after they were swapped for the release of five Iranians held in the U.S. and the unfreezing of $6 billion in Iranian funds, in a deal between the arch enemies.
CNN reported the plane had landed. The report did not provide further details.
It followed a carefully choreographed exchange, agreed after months of Qatar-mediated talks, that was triggered on Monday when the funds that had been blocked in South Korea were wired, via Switzerland, to banks in Doha.
After the transfer was confirmed, the five U.S. prisoners plus two relatives took off on a Qatari plane from Tehran, at the same time as two of the five Iranian detainees landed in Doha on their way home. Three Iranians chose not to go to Iran.
The deal removes a point of friction between the United States, which brands Tehran a sponsor of terrorism, and Iran, which calls Washington the “Great Satan”.
But it is unclear whether it will bring the two adversaries, which have been at odds for 40 years, closer on any other issues, such as Iran’s nuclear program and its backing for regional militias or the U.S. military presence in the Gulf and U.S. sanctions.
The freed Americans include U.S.-Iranian dual citizens Siamak Namazi, 51, and Emad Sharqi, 59, both businessmen, and Morad Tahbaz, 67, an environmentalist who also holds British nationality. Two of them have not been publicly identified.
‘HUMANITARIAN ACTION’
U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the return of the prisoners home in a statement on Monday but his administration also announced fresh U.S. sanctions.
“We will continue to impose costs on Iran for their provocative actions in the region,” he said.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who was in New York for the annual U.N. General Assembly, called the swap a humanitarian action. “It can certainly be a step based upon which in the future other humanitarian actions can be taken,” he added.
Biden, a Democrat, has faced criticism from Republicans over the deal. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, a prominent Republican, said the transfer of the $6 billion could encourage Iran to detain more U.S. citizens.
Biden aides say the money belongs to Iran and is being transferred from restricted South Korean accounts to restricted accounts in Qatar, which will monitor the cash to ensure it is spent on humanitarian goods not items under U.S. sanctions.
Relations between the United States and Iran have been especially bitter since 2018 when then-President Donald Trump pulled out of a deal aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and toughened U.S. sanctions.
Washington suspects Iran’s nuclear program may be aimed at developing nuclear arms, a charge Iran denies.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken left the door open to nuclear diplomacy, but suggested nothing was imminent.
U.S. analysts were skeptical about prospects for progress, particularly with a U.S. election looming in 2024.
“The prisoner swap does likely pave the way for additional diplomacy around the nuclear program this fall, although the prospect for actually reaching a deal is very remote,” said Henry Rome of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
(Reporting by Andrew Mills in Doha; Humeyra Pamuk and Parisa Hafezi in New York; Writing by Edmund Blair and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Gareth Jones and Jon Boyle)
UPDATED 12:40 P.M.
DOHA/NEW YORK (Reuters) -Five U.S. citizens left Iran and landed in Doha on Monday in a prisoner swap for five Iranians held in the United States and the transfer of $6 billion in Iranian funds, marking a rare moment of cooperation between the long-time antagonists.
“Today, five innocent Americans who were imprisoned in Iran are finally coming home,” U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement shortly before the U.S. detainees descended the stairs of a Qatari jet to be embraced by U.S. diplomats.
Separately, Iran’s Press TV said the five Iranians held by the United States and charged with committing crimes had been freed, an apparent reference to their being granted clemency. Two arrived in Doha, U.S. and Iranian officials said.
“This was purely a humanitarian action,” Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said after arriving in New York for the annual U.N. General Assembly. “It can certainly be a step based upon which in the future other humanitarian actions can be taken.”
It was unclear whether the exchange might bring progress on the many issues that divide the two nations, including Iran’s nuclear program, its support for regional Shi’ite militias, the presence of U.S. troops in the Gulf and U.S. sanctions on Iran.
Relations between the United States and Iran, adversaries for more than 40 years, have been especially bitter since former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018 reneged on a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program and reimposed U.S. sanctions.
Washington suspects the program may aim to develop nuclear weapons – an ambition Tehran denies – that could threaten Israel or U.S. Gulf Arab allies.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken left the door open to diplomacy on the nuclear file, which he described as “perhaps the number one issue of concern,” but suggested nothing was imminent.
“In this moment, we’re not engaged on that, but we’ll see in the future if there are opportunities,” he told reporters in New York.
U.S. analysts voiced skepticism that progress was likely soon on the nuclear or other issues.
“The prisoner swap does likely pave the way for additional diplomacy around the nuclear program this fall, although the prospect for actually reaching a deal is very remote,” said Henry Rome of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
“Removing an irritant is different from adding a salve,” said Jon Alterman of the Center of Strategic and International Studies.
In a sign Biden, a Democrat, wishes to appear tough on Iran and perhaps blunt Republican criticism, he announced fresh U.S. sanctions on Iran’s former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and its intelligence ministry for “involvement in wrongful detentions.”
“We will continue to impose costs on Iran for their provocative actions in the region,” he said in the statement, in which he thanked the governments of Qatar, Oman, Switzerland and South Korea for their assistance in securing the releases.
Qatar mediated indirect U.S.-Iran talks on the prisoners while Switzerland, which represents U.S. interests in Tehran because the United States and Iran do not diplomatic relations, helped with the transfer of funds from South Korea to Qatar.
A plane sent Qatar flew the five U.S. citizens and two of their relatives out of Tehran after both sides got confirmation the $6 billion was transferred from South Korea to Qatari accounts, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters.
A prominent Republican, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, said the transfer of the $6 billion would likely lead to more detentions of U.S. citizens by Iran.
“I am very concerned that this $6 billion hostage deal incentivizes future hostage-taking,” McCaul said in an emailed statement. “There is no question this deal will free up funds for Iran’s malign activities.”
Biden aides argue the money belongs to Iran and is being transferred from restricted South Korean accounts to restricted Qatari accounts, where it can only be spent on food, medicine and other humanitarian items with U.S. oversight.
Earlier, two of the five Iranians landed in Qatar, a U.S. official said. Three have opted not to return to Iran.
The five Iranian Americans – one of whom had been held for about eight years on charges the United States had rejected as baseless – were due to board a U.S. government aircraft in Doha and then fly home to the United States.
The deal, after months of talks in Qatar, removes a major irritant between the U.S., which brands Tehran a sponsor of terrorism, and Iran, which calls Washington the “Great Satan”.
The U.S. dual citizens released include Siamak Namazi, 51, and Emad Sharqi, 59, both businessmen, and Morad Tahbaz, 67, an environmentalist who also holds British nationality.
The identities of the fourth and fifth U.S. citizens were not disclosed at their request given their desire for privacy.
Iranian officials have named the five Iranians released by the U.S. as Mehrdad Moin-Ansari, Kambiz Attar-Kashani, Reza Sarhangpour-Kafrani, Amin Hassanzadeh and Kaveh Afrasiabi.
Iranian media identified the two men who landed at Doha as Moin-Ansari and Sarhangpour-Kafrani.
(Reporting by Andrew Mills in Doha, Elwely Elwelly in Dubai; and Hyonshee Shin in Seoul; Rami Ayyub and Doina Chiacu in Washington; Steve Holland and Humeyra Pamuk in New York and Parisa Hafezi at the United Nations; Writing by Edmund Blair and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, William Maclean)
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DOHA (Reuters) – Five U.S. citizens left Iran and landed in Doha on Monday in a prisoner swap for five Iranians held in the United States and the transfer of $6 billion in Iranian funds in a rare deal between the long-time antagonists.
“Today, five innocent Americans who were imprisoned in Iran are finally coming home,” U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement, adding they “will soon be reunited with their loved ones—after enduring years of agony, uncertainty, and suffering.”
It was unclear whether the exchange might bring progress on the many issues that divide the two nations, including Iran’s nuclear program, its support for regional Shi’ite militias, the presence of U.S. troops in the Gulf and U.S. sanctions on Iran.
A plane sent by mediator Qatar flew the five U.S. citizens and two of their relatives out of Tehran after both sides got confirmation the funds had been transferred to accounts in Doha, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters.
A Reuters witness saw the plane land at Doha International Airport.
U.S. officials received the five Americans after they disembarked from the Qatari plane at Doha, the Reuters witness said. Switzerland’s ambassador to Iran accompanied them on the plane to Doha, the witness added.
Earlier, two of the five Iranians landed in Qatar, a U.S. official said. Three have opted not to return to Iran.
The five Iranian Americans – one of whom had been held for about eight years on charges the United States had rejected as baseless – were due to board a U.S. government aircraft in Doha and then fly home to the United States.
The deal, after months of talks in Qatar, removes a major irritant between the U.S., which brands Tehran a sponsor of terrorism, and Iran, which calls Washington the “Great Satan”.
A senior U.S. administration official said the deal did not change Washington’s adversarial relationship with Tehran, but the door was open for diplomacy on Iran’s nuclear program.
“If we see an opportunity, we will explore it but right now, I’ve really nothing to talk about,” the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The U.S. dual citizens released include Siamak Namazi, 51, and Emad Sharqi, 59, both businessmen, and Morad Tahbaz, 67, an environmentalist who also holds British nationality. They were released from prison and put under house arrest last month.
A fourth U.S. citizen was also released into house arrest, while a fifth was already under house arrest. Their identities have not been disclosed.
Iranian officials have named the five Iranians released by the U.S. as Mehrdad Moin-Ansari, Kambiz Attar-Kashani, Reza Sarhangpour-Kafrani, Amin Hassanzadeh and Kaveh Afrasiabi. Two Iranian officials previously said that Afrasiabi would remain in the United States but had not mentioned others.
(Reporting by Andrew Mills in Doha, Elwely Elwelly in Dubai and Hyonshee Shin in Seoul; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, William Maclean)
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