US residents Siamak Namazi (R-back), Emad Sharqi (L) and Morad Tahbaz (C) disembark from a Qatari jet upon their arrival on the Doha Worldwide Airport in Doha on September 18, 2023.
Karim Jaafar | Afp | Getty Photos
President Joe Biden celebrated the discharge of 5 American prisoners from Iran on Monday.
“As we speak, 5 harmless People who have been imprisoned in Iran are lastly coming dwelling,” Biden mentioned in a press release.
The discharge got here as world leaders gathered in New York this week for the annual high-level conferences of the United Nations Normal Meeting. Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, will likely be in attendance, as will Biden.
Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz, Emad Sharghi and two unnamed residents have been launched Monday as a part of a deal that unfroze $6 billion of Iranian cash from South Korea to Qatar and led to the discharge of 5 Iranians imprisoned in the USA. South Korea owed Iran, however had not paid, the cash for oil bought earlier than the U.S. imposed sanctions.
“For nearly eight years I’ve been dreaming of this present day,” Namazi, who was imprisoned in 2015, mentioned in a press release following his launch.
“My ineffable pleasure of my forthcoming reunification with my household is laced with sorrow – a painful and deep feeling of guilt for taking my breaths in freedom whereas so many brave people that I really like and admire proceed languishing behind these partitions,” Namazi mentioned.
Biden thanked the emir of Qatar and the sultan of Oman for his or her help in facilitating the commerce. He didn’t point out the $6 billion, nor did he reward Iranian leaders for his or her position within the swap. Quite the opposite, the president introduced new sanctions towards Iran.
“As we speak, we’re sanctioning former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence below the Levinson Act for his or her involvement in wrongful detentions. And, we’ll proceed to impose prices on Iran for his or her provocative actions within the area,” he mentioned.
The president within the assertion reminded People to not journey to Iran, citing a State Division warning.
“The U.S. State Division has a longstanding journey warning that states: ‘Don’t journey to Iran as a result of danger of kidnapping and the arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. residents.’ All People ought to heed these phrases and don’t have any expectation that their launch will be secured if they don’t.”
