An agreement has been reached between Iran and the United States to release American citizens detained in Iran in exchange for paying billions of dollars to the ayatollahs and releasing Iranian citizens, The New York Times reported today.
The families of the American detainees reported that they had been placed under house arrest, and Al-Arabiya later reported that they were expected to move to Oman, which mediates between Washington and Tehran. The New York Times reported that Iran has already released the five detainees included in the agreement.
Oman, according to reports in recent months, has also been mediating between the countries in talks on informal "nuclear understandings," so progress may have been made in this area as well.
In addition to the frozen funds, which come from Iranian oil trade, apparently in contravention of the sanctions imposed on it, the United States will release a number of Iranian detainees in its territory.
The release of U.S. detainees is the first step of the agreement, sources familiar with the talks told The New York Times, adding that talks have been going on for two years.
The prisoners were Siamak Namazi, Imad Shargi, Murad Tabghaz, and two others whose names were not given. The initial three were charged by Iranian authorities with espionage. One of the two not mentioned is a scientist, while the other is a businessman, the newspaper reported.
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