Dubai, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Five Prisoners Swapped Between U.S. and Iran
On Monday, five prisoners sought by the U.S. in a swap with Iran departed from Tehran, according to an official. Flight-tracking data analyzed by the AP revealed that a Qatar Airways flight took off from Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport, which has been commonly used for exchanges in the past. Iranian state media confirmed the departure of the flight soon after. The official spoke anonymously to The Associated Press as the exchange was still in progress.
Earlier, it was announced that the exchange would occur after nearly $6 billion in previously frozen Iranian assets arrived in Qatar, a crucial part of the planned swap. However, despite the deal, tensions are expected to remain high between the U.S. and Iran due to ongoing disputes, including Iran’s nuclear program. Iran claims that its nuclear program is peaceful, but it has recently been enriching uranium at levels closer to weapons-grade.
The first confirmation of the swap came from Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani, who stated that the cash sought for the exchange, previously held by South Korea, had arrived in Qatar. Kanaani made these comments during a news conference broadcasted on state television, although the feed was cut immediately after. He expressed gratitude that Iran’s frozen assets in South Korea had been released and confirmed that the prisoner swap would take place that day.
Kanaani revealed that two of the Iranian prisoners would remain in the U.S., but did not disclose the identities of the remaining two prisoners involved in the exchange. The official mentioned that both Iranian and U.S. officials had been notified by Qatar regarding the transfer of money to the Gulf Arab nation, which acts as an intermediary between the two countries.
Mohammad Reza Farzin, Iran’s Central Bank chief, later appeared on state television to confirm the receipt of over 5.5 billion euros (approximately $5.9 billion) in Qatari accounts. Previously, Iran had anticipated receiving up to $7 billion. The United States has not yet commented on the announcement.
The planned exchange takes place before the gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, where Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi will deliver a speech. This swap marks another instance in a long history of prisoner exchanges between Iran and the U.S., dating back to the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover and hostage crisis.
While the prisoner swap may temporarily ease tensions, the issues between the U.S. and Iran, particularly regarding Iran’s nuclear program and regional disputes, are far from resolved. The fallout from this exchange and the ongoing conflicts may impact U.S. President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign, as he faces criticism for allegedly bolstering the Iranian economy while Iran poses a threat to American troops and allies in the Middle East.
Despite these challenges, diplomatic efforts continue to find resolution and prevent further escalations between the two nations.
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