Some are criticizing the Biden administration for making the deal, saying it will boost Iran's economy.
People walk past a state-organized, anti-U.S. mural painted on the wall of the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, on Aug. 19, 2023. Five prisoners sought by the U.S. in a swap with Iran were freed Monday and headed home as part of a deal that saw nearly $6 billion in Iranian assets unfrozen.
After the plane slowed to a stop, three of the prisoners walked down the ramp and were greeted by the U.S. ambassador to Qatar, Timmy Davis. The former prisoners hugged the ambassador and others. In addition to the five freed Americans, two U.S. family members flew out of Tehran, according to a senior Biden administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity when the exchange was ongoing.
He said two of the Iranian prisoners will stay in the U.S. Meanwhile, Nour News, a website believed to be close to Iran’s security apparatus, said two of the Iranian prisoners had arrived in Doha for the swap. In his statement, Biden urged Americans not to travel to Iran, and he demanded more information on what happened to Bob Levinson, an American who went missing years ago. Biden also announced sanctions on former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence.
The U.S. maintains that, once in Qatar, the money will be held in restricted accounts and will only be able to be used for humanitarian goods, such as medicine and food. Those transactions are currently allowed under American sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic over its advancing nuclear program.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Five Americans detained in Iran expected to be freed Monday, Iranian foreign ministry saysFive Americans who have been imprisoned in Iran are expected to be released Monday as part of a wider US-Iran deal, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman has said.
Read more »
'We must unite': Iranian Americans in Utah protest oppression in IranIranian American protestors gathered at the Utah State Capitol on Saturday, speaking out against the Islamic Republic's killing of Iranian protesters and calling for the U.S. government to fight back.
Read more »
Iran-US prisoner swap: Five detained Americans set to be freed MondayThe Americans include Siamek Namazi, imprisoned for nearly eight years, and Emad Shargi and Morad Tahbaz. The two other Americans haven't been identified.
Read more »
Five Americans freed in prisoner swap with Iran, official saysRepublicans have blasted the prisoner exchange, which includes the release of $6 billion in frozen Iranian oil revenues, as rewarding Tehran for imprisoning foreign nationals.
Read more »
Five Americans freed in prisoner swap with Iran, official saysRepublicans have blasted the prisoner exchange, which includes the release of $6 billion in frozen Iranian oil revenues, as rewarding Tehran for imprisoning foreign nationals.
Read more »