Two people, including a senior Biden administration official, said that the prisoners had left Tehran.
DOHA, Qatar — Five Americans detained for years in Iran walked off a plane and into freedom Monday, many arm-in-arm, as part of a deal that saw President Joe Biden agree to unlock nearly $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets. The deal brought Biden profuse thanks from their families but heat from Republican opponents for the monetary arrangement with one of America’s top rivals.
After the plane slowed to a stop in Doha, three of the prisoners walked down the stairs. They hugged the U.S. ambassador to Qatar, Timmy Davis, and others. The United States did not immediately identify the other two of the five freed American citizens, all of whom were freed in exchange for five Iranians in U.S. custody and for the deal over the frozen Iranian assets. The Biden administration said the five freed Iranians posed no threat to U.S. national security.
“Fortunately Iran’s frozen assets in South Korea were released and God willing today the assets will start to be fully controlled by the government and the nation,” Kanaani said. Iranian government officials have largely concurred with that explanation, though some hard-liners have insisted, without providing evidence, that there would be no restrictions on how Tehran spends the money.
The U.S. government, the prisoners’ families and activists have denounced the charges against the five Americans as baseless. The five prisoners Iran has said it seeks are mostly held over allegedly trying to export banned material to Iran, such as dual use electronics that can be used by a military.
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