Iran releases German in prisoner swap deal

Iran announced yesterday that it has released a German citizen sentenced to three years in jail in exchange for the release of an Iranian citizen detained in Germany for violating US sanctions.

A spokesman for the Iranian judiciary, Gholamhossein Esmaili, said the Iranian citizen returned to Iran on Monday and in return the German citizen has been freed and returned to his country.

Earlier on Monday, Tehran announced that Ahmed Khalili, who had been detained in Germany following a US request and subject to extradition to America, arrived safely in Iran on Sunday with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who had been in Germany to attend the Munich security conference.

Esmaili explained that Tehran has insisted on securing Khalili’s return before the “unnamed” German citizen who had been detained for “taking photos and videos of sensitive areas” was freed.

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