European Prisoners Released in Iran Prisoner Exchange Return Home

Three Europeans, who had been held in Iran, have returned home following their release in a prisoner swap. The prisoners, consisting of two individuals with dual Austrian-Iranian nationality and one Danish citizen, were freed by Iran in exchange for Iranian diplomat Asadollah Assadi. This exchange took place as part of a broader agreement where Iran had previously released Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele. The release of the Europeans was facilitated with the assistance of Belgium and Oman.

The two Austrians, Massud Mosaheb and Kamran Ghaderi, arrived in Vienna, Austria, as depicted in photos shared by Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg. Mosaheb, the co-chairman of the Iranian-Austrian Friendship Society, had been sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of espionage, while Ghaderi, a businessman, also faced a 10-year sentence for similar charges.

The Danish citizen, Thomas Kjems, continued his journey to Copenhagen, Denmark, where he landed on Saturday morning. Kjems expressed his relief and happiness about returning home to his family after his imprisonment in Iran. While he mentioned the deprivation of freedom during his time in an Iranian prison, he stated that he hadn’t experienced physical torture.

The release of the prisoners was seen as a positive development by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, who expressed hopes that it would pave the way for improved relations between Iran, Belgium, and Europe. Amirabdollahian also asserted that if European citizens were not being exploited by foreign security services, there would be no reason to detain them.

Although the released Europeans have regained their freedom, there are still 22 Europeans being held in Iranian prisons, as confirmed by Belgian government officials. It was clarified that no further exchanges would take place involving Assadi. However, Belgium continues its efforts to secure the release of Ahmadreza Djalali, a Swedish-Iranian national who was arrested in Iran during an academic visit in 2016.

Iran has faced criticism for its arrests of foreigners and dual nationals in recent years, often on charges related to espionage and security. Human rights organizations have accused Iran of employing these arrests as a means of exerting pressure and obtaining concessions from foreign countries. Tehran denies these allegations, asserting that the arrests are based on legitimate charges.