According to a media report, the USA has taken another important step to prepare for a prisoner exchange with Iran. The US government granted an exemption for banks so that they could transfer frozen Iranian assets without fear of US sanctions, reported the Washington Post citing government sources. The US Congress was informed about this on Monday, it said. According to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, lifting sanctions is in the interests of the national security of the United States. The money should be transferred from South Korea to Qatar.
It has been known for several weeks that the USA and Iran are negotiating a prisoner exchange. In August, Iran’s judiciary released several US citizens from custody and initially placed them under house arrest. A total of five people with US citizenship are said to be able to leave the Islamic Republic as part of a prisoner swap.
In return, Iran is demanding around six billion US dollars (5.58 billion euros). Assets frozen in South Korea due to international sanctions. According to US information, Iran can only use the money for humanitarian purposes.
Iranians imprisoned in the USA should also be released as a result of the deal. The Washington Post wrote that the plan was to release five people. However, work is still ongoing on the details of the agreement. There were already plenty of objections to the planned deal in advance. Critics in the US fear that Tehran will ultimately be able to use the billions of dollars for military purposes.
The transfer of the money and the prisoner exchange could take place as early as next week, eight Iranian and other people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The Americans’ departure from Iran would resolve a major irritant between Washington and Tehran, which remain at odds over issues such as Iran’s nuclear program and Tehran’s support of regional Shiite militias.
“Espionage” or “violations of national security” – Iran keeps imprisoning foreigners
US citizens under house arrest in Iran include businessman Siamak Namazi, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for espionage in 2016, businessman Emad Sharghi, imprisoned since 2018, and environmental activist Morad Tahbaz. All three also have Iranian citizenship, Tahbaz also has British citizenship. For its part, Iran has been trying for years to free a dozen compatriots imprisoned in the USA, some of whom are also citizens of both countries.
Iran repeatedly detains foreigners on charges of espionage or other national security violations. Human rights activists criticize the proceedings, which are often held behind closed doors, as unfair. The Islamic Republic is also accused of holding foreigners hostage.
Several Germans are also imprisoned in Iran. This includes the German-Iranian Nahid Taghavi, who was arrested in October 2020 and then convicted of “propaganda against the state”. Another German-Iranian, Jamshid Sharmahd, was sentenced to death on terror charges. There are fears that Iran will actually carry out the death penalty.