Iran and the United States have conducted rare prisoner swaps in recent years, but they have not been sufficient. Both rival countries are still holding citizens of the other country, with more US authorities.
The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today that Iranian scientist Cyrus Asgari, who was accused in the United States in 2016 of stealing industrial secrets before being acquitted, will return to his country within days, and the Iranian authorities did not mention if the matter would be within an exchange between them and her American counterpart.
A few weeks ago, the Iranian authorities called for a comprehensive exchange of prisoners with Washington, especially in light of the spread of the new Corona virus, and Reuters quoted three Iranian officials in early May last that an exchange of prisoners between the two parties is under preparation.
In recent years, the American authorities have arrested many Iranians for violating the sanctions imposed on Iran or Venezuela, and others have been arrested for other reasons. In return, Tehran has arrested a number of Americans for spying for Washington.
In recent years, the American authorities have arrested many Iranians for violating the sanctions imposed on Iran or Venezuela, and others have been arrested for other reasons. In return, Tehran has arrested a number of Americans for spying for Washington.
Here is a list of the names of those known to be held in the United States and Iran, at a time when Tehran recently called for a comprehensive exchange of prisoners with Washington:
Iranian Prisoners
- Two Shahed Rugs: I handed him over from Britain days ago to the United States, after being accused of violating US sanctions against Iran through a financial services company.
Amin Hassanzadeh: He holds Iranian and American citizenship, as he appeared in November 2019 before the American judiciary on charges of stealing data from a military institution in which he works and sending it to his brother in Iran.
Mehrdad Ansari: Georgia extradited him to America last March, and he is accused of trying to secure military spare parts for Iran.
Behrouz Behroozian: He holds dual US and Iranian citizenship, and in November 2019 he was sentenced to 20 months in prison for exporting to Iran pipeline spare parts in violation of US sanctions.
Mahdi Hashemi: He also holds dual nationalities and was arrested in August 2019, on charges of planning to send prohibited goods to Iran.
Bahram Karimi and Ali al-Sadr Hashemi Nejad: The first was arrested in March 2018 and the second in January 2020, and one charge is to be involved in a project between Venezuela and Iran that are subject to US sanctions, aiming to channel $ 115 million through the American financial system.
Behzad Burgund: Germany extradited him to America in July 2019, and he was sentenced to 46 months in prison last November after being convicted of exporting carbon fibers to Iran.
- Muhin Mojtahid Zadeh: He was arrested in January 2018 and sentenced to 443 days in prison for trying to export parts of turbines to Iran.
Imad, a preacher, Boran Azad, and Hassan Ali Mashhar Fatimi: The three are of US and Iranian nationality. They were arrested in April 2018, and they are currently being tried on charges of violating US sanctions on Iran.
- Ali Reza Jalali and Reza Olingyan: Al-Awal was sentenced to 15 months in prison in March 2018 for transferring military technology to Iran, while Olongyan was sentenced in the same month to 25 years in prison for trying to export spare parts for missiles and military aircraft to Iran.
- Ahmad Reza Muhammad Dostdar and Majid Qurbani: they hold American citizenship alongside Iranians, and they were sentenced in January 2020 to 38 and 30 months in prison for trying to penetrate the Mujahideen Khalq movement, which operates from abroad, and which Tehran classifies as a terrorist organization.
Milad Calantari: arrested in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years in prison in March 2017 for being convicted of charges, most notably impersonation.
Mansour Arbabsiar: He was sentenced in 2013 to 25 years in prison for trying to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States at the time, Adel Al-Jubeir.
Reuters quoted three Iranian officials in early May as a prisoner exchange between Tehran and Washington is under preparation
American Prisoners -
Michael White: A former US Navy soldier, who was arrested in July 2018 and sentenced in March 2019 to ten years in prison for his conviction of insulting Iranian leader Ali Khamenei.
Siamak Namazi and his father Muhammad Baqir Namazi: Both hold Iranian and American citizenship, and since 2016 they have been carrying out a 10-year prison sentence for spying for the United States.
Murad Tahbaz: He holds dual American and Iranian citizenship, is a member of an organization for the defense of the environment, and was sentenced to ten years in prison on charges of conspiring with the United States.
Ghulam Reza Shahini: An Iranian-American was sentenced in October 2016 to 18 years in prison, after being convicted of “dealing with a foreign government.”
- Karan Favadari: A businessman who also holds American and Iranian citizenship, was arrested in June 2016 on several charges, including espionage and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, before being released in exchange for bail in July 2018 pending his trial, but he cannot leave Iran.