Iran Frees US Prisoners

Via the BBC:  Jason Rezaian and three other US prisoners freed in Iran

Iran has released Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian and three other Iranian-American prisoners as it anticipates the lifting of international sanctions.

Rezaian, 39, was convicted of espionage in Iran last year.

Iranian state TV named the other three as Saeed Abedini, Amir Hekmati and and Nosratollah Khosravi.

Iran said they were being swapped for seven Iranians held in US prisons but there was no immediate US confirmation.

[…]

The other three freed on Saturday were: Saeed Abedini, 35, a Christian pastor who had been imprisoned since July 2012 for organising churches in people’s houses; Amir Hekmati, 32, a former Marine who spent more than four years in prison on spying charges following his arrest in August 2011 during a visit to see his grandmother. The detention of Khosrawi had not been previously released.

Recognizing that I am being more snarky on a Saturday morning than analytical:  it is as if having lines of communication between the two states is more efficacious than having none (although one can rightfully ask if true snark can utilize words like “efficacious”).

FILED UNDER: Middle East, US Politics, World Politics, , , ,
Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

  1. stonetools says:

    although one can rightfully ask if true snark can utilize words like “efficacious”).

    Why, yes he can. It just proves that the snarker is literate.

    It has been most enjoyable seeing right wingers online desperately trying to cobble together an argument as to why is this isn’t good for the United States, and a diplomatic triumph for the Obama Administration.

    Marco Rubio does his best :

    Thankful that prayers have been answered and Pastor Saeed, Amir Hekmati, Jason Rezaian and another American will finally come home.

    Well, apparently, God used Barack Obama and John Kerry to accomplish his purpose, although they somehow go missing in Rubio’s Tweet. Trump, of course, is saying he could have magically got back the US prisoners without a deal . At this point, Republicans and conservatives are so far beyond any pretense of intellectual honesty and consistency that I am truly afraid that any Republicans are in positions of power, anywhere.