Five Americans imprisoned in Iran are anticipated to be freed on Monday as an integral element of a broader accord between the United States and Iran, according to a spokesman from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
The US administration has officially labeled all five Americans as victims of unjust imprisonment.
Foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani expressed hope during a press conference on Monday, which was aired on state-affiliated Press TV, that the release of the five Americans would be completed in conjunction with the other components of the agreement. According to a source familiar with the situation, a Qatari aircraft is prepared in Iran to transport the individuals to Doha.
Under the US-Iran agreement, $6 billion of Iranian funds previously held in restricted accounts in South Korea will be relocated to restricted accounts in Qatari banks. Qatar has informed Iranian and US officials that the money has been transferred from Switzerland to bank accounts in Qatar, as disclosed by an informed source.
CNN sources reveal that the funds originated from permitted oil sales and were deposited into accounts established during the Trump administration. The Biden administration emphasizes that these funds, now transferred to Qatari accounts, can only be utilized by Iran for humanitarian purchases. Furthermore, each transaction will be subject to monitoring by the US Treasury Department.
The agreement additionally includes the liberation of five Iranians currently held in US custody. The release of the Americans signifies a momentous diplomatic achievement following years of intricate indirect talks between Washington and Tehran.
Emad Shargi, Morad Tahbaz, and Siamak Namazi, who are publicly known to be involved in the deal, have all been incarcerated for over five years. Namazi has been in detention since 2015. The identities of the other two American individuals involved have not been disclosed to the public.
Please note that this is an ongoing story and will be continuously updated.