Updates on the Iran-US prisoner swap deal: A look into the latest developments | Politics News

By Better Today On Sep 12, 2023

Prisoner Exchange Deal Between Iran and US Set to Release 10 Individuals and Billions of Dollars of Frozen Assets

Tehran and Washington are moving forward with a prisoner exchange deal, which is expected to result in the release of 10 individuals and the unfreezing of billions of dollars in Iranian assets. The agreement, reached a month ago after years of negotiations, shows commitment from both sides. Here is a breakdown of the agreement, its implementation, and what comes next.

What is the agreement?

The agreement, reached in August, includes the exchange of five US prisoners held in Iran with five Iranians held by the US. Additionally, Iran will gain access to approximately $6 billion of its assets frozen abroad. These negotiations have been running alongside talks aimed at restoring the 2015 nuclear deal that the US abandoned in 2018. However, the nuclear accord talks have stalled since last year.

How will it work?

Four of the five American prisoners were released from prison last month and moved to house arrest. The identities of three of these prisoners have been confirmed, including Siamak Namazi, a 51-year-old Iranian-American businessman who had been held since October 2015. The remaining prisoners’ identities have not been disclosed, but according to Western media, one of them is a woman. The five Iranians held by the US have not been officially confirmed, but Al-Monitor reported that their names are Mehrdad Moein Ansari, Kambiz Attar Kashani, Reza Sarhangpour Kafrani, Amin Hasanzadeh, and Kaveh Afrasiabi. The deal also involves the release of several billion dollars of Iranian money that had been blocked in South Korea due to US sanctions.

What happens next?

The Iranian money has been transferred to European banks and will now be moved to Qatar so that Iran can access it. Both Iranian and American officials have confirmed that the money can only be used for purchases exempt from US sanctions. In a positive development, the US has issued a waiver allowing the transfer of the money from banks in Switzerland and Germany to Qatar. The release of the prisoners is expected to follow after the money has arrived in Qatar and Iran has confirmed access to it, potentially with the assistance of Qatari or Omani mediation. Although no specific date has been given, reports suggest that the exchange could take place as early as next week.

Criticism and Response

The agreement has faced criticism from US Republicans and opponents who argue that the Biden administration should not make deals with Iran. The recent allegations that Iran supplied Russia with attack drones for the war in Ukraine have also added to tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and regional influence. In response, the Biden administration has emphasized its commitment to getting American “hostages” released and clarified that none of the funds being used belong to the US government. The administration claims that the money was allowed by the previous administration and that Iran has already spent billions of dollars of it without giving anything in return.

As this prisoner exchange deal progresses, the outcome will not only impact the individuals involved but also have broader implications for the ongoing negotiations surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and its relationship with the US.