Tehran Funds Exchanged US Prisoners, Foreign Minister Blinken Ensures Iran Can't Get Sanctions Relief

Illustration of Iran (Wikimedia Commons/Tijl Vercaemer)

JAKARTA - Iran could release five US citizens detained as part of a deal in which Tehran's $6 billion fund in South Korea will be disbursed, sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday, while Foreign Minister Antony Blinken explained the process he hoped would lead to their return to the United States.

As the first step in a series of possible complex maneuvers, Iran has allowed four US citizens detained to move into house arrest from Evin's prison in Tehran, a lawyer said.

The United States will release some Iranians from US prisons as part of the deal, Iran's mission to the United Nations said.

Iranian-Americans allowed to leave prison include businessman Siamak Namazi and Emad Shargi and Morad Tahbaz who are also British nationals, said Jared Genser, a lawyer representing Namazi.

The identities of the fourth US citizens allowed out of prison have not been published, as well as the identities of the five who have been house arrests.

"My belief is, this is the beginning of their nightmare," Foreign Minister Blinken told a news conference in Washington, but warned that it was just a first step in a process.

"There's still a lot of work to be done to really take them home," he said.

Letting the five leave Iran, which could take weeks, would eliminate major disruptions between Washington and Tehran, which remain at odds over various issues, from Iran's nuclear program to Tehran's support for regional Shia militias.

"Iran's move against American hostages from the Evin Prison... is an important development," Genser said in a statement.

"While I hope this will be the first step for their final release, this is best from the start."

Meanwhile, White House National Security Council Spokesman Adrienne Watson confirmed the five had been released from prison and under house arrest.

He said they should never have been detained and the White House would have added much, as talks for their release eventually "continued and were ongoing."

"Mereka, tentu saja, sangat senang bisa keluar dari penjara," ungkap Menlu Blinken mengenai komunikasi Departemen Luar Negeri dengan para pengaman.

Separately, Iran's mission to the United Nations said in a statement: "As part of a humanitarian cooperation agreement mediated by third-party governments, Iran and the US have agreed to reciprocally release and pardon five prisoners. The transfer of prisoners is out of prison, marking a significant first step in the implementation of this agreement."

Later, the five Americans will be allowed to leave Iran after USD 6 billion in Iranian funds in South Korea were disbursed, a source told Reuters.

A second source familiar with the talks said it might take weeks before US citizens leave Iran, saying September was a possible timeframe. He confirmed the disbursement of funds may be part of the deal.

However, he said the funds, if transferred from a South Korean bank to another financial institution, would move from a limited account to another account and could only be used for humanitarian purposes such as buying food or medicine.

Iran's semi-official news agency, Tasnim, said the funds would first be converted from South Korean currency to Euro, then sent to an account in Qatar accessible to Iran.

Interestingly, Foreign Minister Blinken said the deal did not mean that Iran would get sanctions relief.

"We will continue to enforce all of our sanctions. We will continue to fight firmly against Iran's destabilization activities in the region and its surroundings... None of these efforts will eliminate it," he stressed.

It is known that Namazi was convicted of espionage, charges denied by the United States, and has been in detention since 2016.seven years.

Meanwhile, Tahbaz, who was arrested in 2018, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for gathering and colluding against Iran's national security, working for the United States as a spy.

Meanwhile, Shargi was also charged with espionage and sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2020.