The Iranian government spokesman, Ali Rabiei, has said that Iran is ready for a prisoner exchange with the United States.
While disclosing this on Sunday May 10, 2020, Mr Rabiei said, “We are ready to exchange Iranian and American prisoners and we are prepared to discuss this issue, but the Americans have not responded yet.”
He added that “We are worried about the safety and health of Iranians in jail … We hold America responsible for Iranians’ safety amid the new coronavirus outbreak.”
The likely candidate to be swapped is a US Navy veteran, Michael White, who has been detained in Iran since 2018. He has been released from prison in mid-March on medical leave but still remains in Iran.
According to both US and Iranian officials, the United States is also set to deport Iranian professor Sirous Asgari, who was acquitted of stealing trade secrets, once he receives medical clearance to leave.
In a rare act of cooperation between two foes, the United States and Iran exchanged prisoners in 2019.
The prisoners which were released then were, American graduate student Xiyue Wang, detained for three years on spying charges, and imprisoned Iranian stem cell researcher Massoud Soleimani, accused of sanction violations.
Tehran and Washington have grown to be hskyile towards evah other since 2018 when United States P3, Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions on Tehran,an action which has crippled its economy.
“There is no need for a third country to mediate between Iran and America for the prisoner exchange,” Mr Rabiei said.
