Iran says it is ready to "change prisoners" with the US
The Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabie confirmed on the 10th that Iran was ready to exchange all detainees with the United States unconditionally, and no response was received from the US side.
["Unconditional"]
On the 10th, the Iranian government website issued a statement by La Bière: "We have expressed our wishes and hope to discuss the release of all detainees (issues) without preconditions."
Iran is one of the Middle East countries with the worst new crown epidemic, and the United States is the country with the largest number of new crown deaths in the world. In the current epidemic, the two countries call for the release of detainees. Three Iranian officials told Reuters reporters last week that the two countries are preparing for the exchange of detainees. According to Reuters, if things go well, this will be "a very few examples of cooperation" between Iran and the United States.
Labie said: "The United States knows our wishes, and we don't think that a third country needs to mediate between Iran and the United States to exchange prisoners."
He said that once the US agrees, Iran ’s representative office in the US capital, Washington, will inform the other party of Iran ’s views on the details of changing prisoners, including when and how to exchange detainees.
Reuters reported that it is temporarily unclear how many Americans are detained in Iran, but includes the US-Iranian dual citizen businessman Siamak Namazzi; US Navy veteran Michael White may be among the prisoners. The United States detained dozens of Iranians, many of whom were detained for violating sanctions.
Iran and the United States severed diplomatic relations after the Iranian Islamic Revolution in 1979. The two sides established mutual interest representative offices in each other's capital, the Pakistan Embassy in Washington and the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, Iran.
【There are deviations】
Labie said: "The United States has not responded for the time being. In our opinion, it seems that the United States is more prepared than ever to end this situation."
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamed Javad Zarif said in December last year that Iran was ready to exchange all detainees with the United States. Zarif wrote on social media "Twitter" that "the ball is in the US".
However, US officials have changed their prison sentences differently from Iran. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli said on the 6th that the Iranian side linked the release of White with the release of Iranian citizen Sirus Asgari who was imprisoned by the US side, and the US side was "disappointed." The United States determined that the cases involved by the two persons were not related and complained that the Iranian side took Asgari to return home slowly.
Kuccinelli said that Asgari was one of 11 Iranians that the Department of Homeland Security hoped to repatriate. "Iran did not accept them." The Department of Homeland Security is dealing with more similar situations.
A number of high-level US officials told the Associated Press reporters on condition of anonymity that the government ’s efforts to promote White ’s release will be carried out independently, regardless of the case of the Department of Homeland Security ’s repatriation of Iranians. However, they could not confirm the details of White's release and whether the United States and Iran will eventually change prisoners.
White was accused of insulting Iran ’s supreme leader and was arrested in July 2018. He was released from prison in March this year due to an outbreak, but he must stay in Iran.
Iranian expert Asgari was previously accused of "theft of trade secrets", and a US federal judge convicted him in November last year. Asgari tested positive for new coronavirus more than ten days ago and was medically isolated. Several U.S. and Iranian officials confirmed on the 5th that once the separation is lifted, the United States will repatriate him. (Bao Xuelin) (Special Feature for Xinhua News Agency)