Iran foreign ministry denies US hostage swap imminent
3 years, 8 months ago

Iran foreign ministry denies US hostage swap imminent

Al Jazeera  

Contradictory statements may be the latest example of clashes between political factions as Iran’s presidential elections loom. Tehran, Iran – Iran’s foreign ministry says a state television report on prisoner swaps with the United States cannot be confirmed as a political rift widens ahead of presidential elections in June. Contradictory reports The latest hardline-controlled state TV report comes as a slew of other news stories citing unnamed “informed sources” have aired in recent weeks as Iran and world powers continue talks in Vienna to restore the country’s 2015 nuclear deal that was abandoned by the US in 2018. The reports have been so contradictory to the official line by the foreign ministry that in late April, Iran’s top negotiator Abbas Araghchi directly criticised the state broadcaster’s English-language channel in a tweet. On Sunday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly rebuked Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif for comments he made about the country’s internal power struggles in a confidential audio recording leaked last week.

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History of this topic

US and Iran negotiate rare prisoner swap as Washington releases $US6 billion in frozen assets
1 year, 3 months ago

US and Iran negotiate rare prisoner swap as Washington releases $US6 billion in frozen assets

ABC  

Five US citizens have left Iran and landed in Doha in a prisoner swap for five Iranians held in the United States, and the transfer of $US6 billion in frozen Iranian assets. Key points: 10 Iranian and US prisoners are being swapped in a rare deal between the two nations The US will also transfer $US6 billion to Iran as …

Iran Hopes for Prisoner Swap with US on Monday as $6B Frozen Funds Access Looms
1 year, 3 months ago

Iran Hopes for Prisoner Swap with US on Monday as $6B Frozen Funds Access Looms

News 18  

Iran hopes that a prisoner swap with the United States will go ahead Monday, once Tehran gains access to $6 billion frozen by US ally South Korea, the Iranian foreign ministry said. Under the deal, which Washington and Tehran have previously confirmed, Iran would release five US citizens from detention and, Iran said, the United States would release five Iranians. …

US-Iran prisoner swap ‘important first step’ but tensions remain: Analysts
1 year, 3 months ago

US-Iran prisoner swap ‘important first step’ but tensions remain: Analysts

Al Jazeera  

A major diplomatic breakthrough between Tehran and Washington remains unlikely before 2024 US election, experts say. Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran programme at the Middle East Institute think tank in Washington, DC, called the prisoner exchange a “transactional deal”. Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy think tank in Washington, DC, said while it remains …

Iran ready to implement prisoner swap deal with US, official says
1 year, 3 months ago

Iran ready to implement prisoner swap deal with US, official says

Al Jazeera  

Under the Qatar-mediated deal, five prisoners would be freed by each side and $6bn in Iranian assets would be released. Iran’s foreign minister has said his country is ready to implement a Qatar-mediated deal with the United States, under which Washington and Tehran each would free five prisoners and $6bn in Iranian assets held in South Korea would be released. …

Analysis: Iran-US prisoner swap for billions reveals familiar limits of diplomacy between nations
1 year, 3 months ago

Analysis: Iran-US prisoner swap for billions reveals familiar limits of diplomacy between nations

Associated Press  

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — American captives could be exchanged for billions of dollars of frozen Iranian assets, even as critics back in Washington warn against dealing with Tehran. In 1981, Iranian negotiator Behzad Nabavi described the deal freeing the Americans held as rubbing “in the dirt the nose of the world’s biggest oppressor and superpower, thus forcing it to …

What’s happening with the Iran-US prisoner swap deal?
1 year, 3 months ago

What’s happening with the Iran-US prisoner swap deal?

Al Jazeera  

Tehran and Washington are expected to exchange prisoners after Iran regains access to its blocked money. Tehran, Iran – A prisoner exchange deal between Iran and the United States looks like it’s on track, promising to release 10 people and billions of dollars of frozen assets. As part of the deal, five US prisoners held in Iran will be exchanged …

US-Iran relations: Why did the prisoner exchange deal happen now?
1 year, 4 months ago

US-Iran relations: Why did the prisoner exchange deal happen now?

Al Jazeera  

Critics have argued that the US has given into Iranian blackmail by agreeing to a prisoner exchange deal. I’m not saying Iranian law is practised in an appropriate way, but since the US withdrew from the 2018 JCPOA nuclear deal and placed Iran under extraordinary sanctions and froze all its funds when Tehran had been complying with the deal, the …

US-Iran prisoner swap deal is ‘on track’, says White House official
1 year, 4 months ago

US-Iran prisoner swap deal is ‘on track’, says White House official

Al Jazeera  

Agreement is ‘proceeding’ but there is no exact timetable for swap, says US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has said that a prisoner swap deal between the United States and Iran is “on track”, less than two weeks after Tehran moved five detained US citizens to house arrest. But we believe that that …

Government rejected chances to free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, say MPs
1 year, 9 months ago

Government rejected chances to free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, say MPs

The Independent  

The UK government imposed “significant suffering” on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori by rejecting changes to free them from captivity in Iran, a damning report by MPs has found. The report criticised the “considerable ministerial transience” in recent years, after Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe questioned, on her release, why it took five foreign secretaries over six years to bring her home. Nazanin …

Iran says 'everything ready' for prisoner swap, US denies
1 year, 9 months ago

Iran says 'everything ready' for prisoner swap, US denies

Hindustan Times  

Iran and the United States have reached an agreement to exchange prisoners, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told state TV on Sunday, but Washington denied it as a "false" claim by Tehran. A White House official denied Amirabdollahian's statement about the prisoner swap with Washington, adding that the United States was committed to securing the release of Americans held in …

Iran blames US for delay in prisoner swap deal
1 year, 10 months ago

Iran blames US for delay in prisoner swap deal

Al Jazeera  

It remains unclear whether an agreement can be finalised as Tehran maintains Washington is acting in bad faith. Tehran, Iran – Iran has blamed the United States for failing to reach an agreement over a prisoner swap deal amid reports that progress had been made after a lull of several months. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani on Monday told …

Government cannot look back with pride at release of Iran hostages, says Hunt
2 years, 7 months ago

Government cannot look back with pride at release of Iran hostages, says Hunt

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Government cannot look back with “any pride” at its …

Iran ‘has not received £400m from UK agreed before Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release’
2 years, 8 months ago

Iran ‘has not received £400m from UK agreed before Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release’

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A £400m payment from the …

MPs to stage inquiry into Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s detention in Iran
2 years, 9 months ago

MPs to stage inquiry into Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s detention in Iran

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy MPs are to stage an inquiry into the detention and …

British-Iranian held in Tehran prison to begin hunger strike, daughter says
2 years, 11 months ago

British-Iranian held in Tehran prison to begin hunger strike, daughter says

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The daughter of a British-Iranian detained in Iran says her …

UK enters talks in Tehran over £400m debt in effort to secure release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
3 years ago

UK enters talks in Tehran over £400m debt in effort to secure release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A British government team has …

Truss: ‘We want to pay £400 million we owe Iran’
3 years, 1 month ago

Truss: ‘We want to pay £400 million we owe Iran’

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Liz Truss has said the …

Iran backtracks on plans to release Zaghari-Ratcliffe
3 years, 5 months ago

Iran backtracks on plans to release Zaghari-Ratcliffe

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Efforts to release Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe …

After US denied deal, Iran says prisoner swap talks ongoing
3 years, 5 months ago

After US denied deal, Iran says prisoner swap talks ongoing

Associated Press  

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s government spokesman said Tuesday that talks with the United States about a prisoner exchange are still ongoing, two months after Washington denied an Iranian report that deals had been struck. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Tuesday that “indirect but active” talks with Iran over prisoners have been going on for some time — and pre-date …

US denies Iran claims of prisoner deal; UK plays it down
3 years, 8 months ago

US denies Iran claims of prisoner deal; UK plays it down

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The United States and Iran are in active talks over the release of prisoners, a person familiar with the discussions said Sunday as Washington denied a report by Iranian state-run television that deals had been struck. “Some sources say four Iranian prisoners are to be released and $7 billion are to be received by Iran in exchange for …

US denies Iran state media report saying prisoner swap agreed
3 years, 8 months ago

US denies Iran state media report saying prisoner swap agreed

Al Jazeera  

Meanwhile, UK downplays Iranian state TV report on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s possible release from prison. The state TV report, quoting the unnamed Iranian official, also said British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe would be released once Britain had paid off a debt on military equipment owed to Tehran. There is no agreement to release these four Americans.” pic.twitter.com/aLIrHlEneg — Face The Nation May …

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe jailed for another year in Iran
3 years, 8 months ago

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe jailed for another year in Iran

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband, Richard, confirmed to The Independent, that …

Zaghari-Ratcliffe handed another prison sentence in Iran
3 years, 8 months ago

Zaghari-Ratcliffe handed another prison sentence in Iran

Al Jazeera  

British-Iranian national, who has already served five years in prison, handed an extra year after being found guilty of ‘propaganda’. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been sentenced to another year in an Iranian jail, a development that prompted an instant backlash from the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “Nazanin Zaghari was sentenced to one year in prison and a one-year ban …

British-Iranian woman back in court after 5 years in prison
3 years, 9 months ago

British-Iranian woman back in court after 5 years in prison

Associated Press  

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A trial to present new charges against a British-Iranian woman detained for five years in Iran convened Sunday, her supporters said, casting uncertainty over her future following her release from prison. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe appeared in court to face charges of “spreading propaganda against the regime,” said Richard Ratcliffe, who has outspokenly campaigned for his wife’s …

UK ‘beginning to look weak’ over Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s detention in Iran, Jeremy Hunt warns
4 years ago

UK ‘beginning to look weak’ over Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s detention in Iran, Jeremy Hunt warns

The Independent  

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy …

Iran ready for more prisoner swaps with US, not negotiations
5 years, 1 month ago

Iran ready for more prisoner swaps with US, not negotiations

Associated Press  

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran is ready for more prisoner swaps with the United States, the Cabinet spokesman said Monday even as he reiterated the Iranian leadership’s stance that there will be no other negotiations between Tehran and Washington. Rabiei said any further negotiations would be possible through the so-called 5+1 framework — a reference to the five permanent U.N. Security …

Iran spy TV show glorifies hard-liners imprisoning reporter
5 years, 5 months ago

Iran spy TV show glorifies hard-liners imprisoning reporter

Associated Press  

TEHRAN, Iran — The Farsi caption has unfurled across the black screen of a channel of Iranian state television every night for days now, promising viewers that what they are about to witness is “based on a real case.” But the slick graphics, chase scenes and gunfights of “Gando” serve a far different purpose — trying to offer justification of …

Javad Zarif: US holds off on sanctions on Iranian foreign minister
5 years, 5 months ago

Javad Zarif: US holds off on sanctions on Iranian foreign minister

CNN  

CNN — The United States will not impose sanctions on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif – at least for the time being – two State Department officials confirmed to CNN Thursday. The move to spare Iran’s top diplomat comes weeks after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters that President Donald Trump had directed him to impose sanctions on Zarif. …

Iran offers prisoner swap which could see jailed charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe freed
5 years, 8 months ago

Iran offers prisoner swap which could see jailed charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe freed

CNN  

CNN — Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British Iranian mother jailed in Iran three years ago on espionage charges, could be released as part of a prisoner exchange, Iran’s Foreign Minister said Wednesday. Iran state media “We have an Iranian woman in Australia who gave birth to a child in prison… on an extradition request by the United States because she was …

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe given British diplomatic protection
5 years, 10 months ago

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe given British diplomatic protection

CNN  

CNN — Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian charity worker who was jailed in Iran almost three years ago on spying charges, has been given diplomatic protection by the UK government. The affording of diplomatic protection means that the British government has recognized that the jailed woman’s treatment“fails to meet Iran’s obligations under international law and elevates it to a formal state …

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