Washington Denies Iran’s Claim of Prisoner Swap With the U.S.
Iran and the United States have reached an agreement to exchange prisoners, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told state TV on Sunday, but Washington denied it as a “false” claim by Tehran. A White House official denied Amirabdollahian’s statement about the prisoner swap but added that the United States was committed to securing the release of Americans held in Iran.
A source briefed on the talks said the prisoner exchange is “closer than it has ever been,” but one of the remaining sticking points is linked to $7 billion in frozen Iranian oil funds under U.S. sanctions in South Korea.
The source added that Qatar and Switzerland have been involved in the prisoner exchange talks. Iranian sources told that two regional countries were involved in the indirect talks between Tehran and Washington.
The Islamic Republic, which is holding dozens of Iranian dual nationals and foreigners, has been accused by rights activists of arresting them to try to extract concessions from other countries. Iran has dismissed the charge.
