Washington: Four Americans released as part of a prisoner swap with Iran are still inside the country, a senior US official said today.
“As of our latest information, the plane has not departed Iran,” the official said. “Having concluded this agreement, there were a number of logistical steps that have to take place.”
“We expect those to be completed as soon as possible.”
Four Americans — Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian; Saeed Abedini, a Christian pastor from Idaho; Amir Hekmati, a former US Marine; and a fourth man named Nosratollah Khosravi — are to be released in exchange for seven Iranians currently held in the United States.
“The fifth US citizen who was released, as a separate but clearly associated good will gesture from Iran, Matthew Trevithick, he has already departed Iran,” the official said.