Four including US journalist freed in ‘prisoner swap’ with Iran

Four prisoners with dual Iranian-US nationality have been released by Tehran, with a Washington Post reporter believed to be among them. The inmates are yet to be named - but an anonymous Iranian official has confirmed to the AP news agency that Jason Rezaian (pictured), a journalist convicted of espionage last year, was freed. It is also understood that seven Iranian nationals who are currently serving sentences in American jails will be released as part of the prisoner swap agreement.

It is going to open the possibilities, vast possibilities in Iran for economic engagement and we have all seen that the international business community is very much interested in getting engaged in Iran to take advantage of it.

Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif

The exchange came as Iran prepares to seal a historic nuclear deal with the US, the EU and the International Atomic Energy Agency - which was thrashed out in Vienna last summer following extensive talks. All parties involved have now gathered again in the Austrian capital following work by the IAEA to check that Iran has complied with their commitments to curtail their nuclear programme. It means sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy are now expected to be lifted. US Secretary of State John Kerry and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini are among the representatives back in Vienna ahead of the announcements that are expected to be confirmed later.

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