A senior US official said on Sunday a plane carrying Americans formerly imprisoned in Iran had left the capital of the Islamic Republic, Tehran. According to Iran state television, all four Americans were on a charter plane that left Tehran for Switzerland. The US said only three were on the plane.
The publisher of the Washington Post confirmed that the reporter Jason Rezaianhad “safely left the country” with his wife. Rezaian’s wife, Yeganeh Salehi, was also arrested but had been released on bail.
“Friends and colleagues at the Washington Post are elated by the wonderful news that Jason Rezaian has been released from Evin Prison and has safely left the country with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi,” said Post publisher Frederick Ryan.
“We are relieved that this 545-day nightmare for Jason and his family is finally over. We are pleased to see that Iran released four other Americans, and our hope is that those who remain held will soon follow.”
Ryan added: “After enduring such deplorable conditions and inhumane treatment, the top priority now must be Jason’s health and well-being.
“Now a free man, Jason will be reunited with his family, including his brother Ali, his most effective and tireless advocate. We look forward to the joyous occasion of welcoming him back to the Washington Post newsroom.”
Also released on Saturday, the day sanctions against Iran ended under the multinational nuclear deal agreed last summer, were dual citizens pastor Saeed Abedini, Nosratollah Khosrawi-Roodsari and marine veteran Amir Hekmati.
Hekmati’s family said: “It is hard to put into words what our family feels right now.”
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