Post reporter Jason Rezaian and others to be freed in prisoner swap, according to Iranian media

[forest444]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by one_voice (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Washington Post

Four U.S. citizens imprisoned in Iran, including Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, are to be freed in a prisoner swap, according to Iranian news agencies.

All four are duel U.S.-Iranian citizens, according to the semiofficial Mehr and Fars news agencies. Rezaian has been held since July 2014. There was no official confirmation from the United States.

News of the exchange came as world leaders converged here Saturday in anticipation of the end of international sanctions against Iran in exchange for significantly curtailing its nuclear program.

The nuclear agreement will take effect when the International Atomic Energy Agency certifies that Iran has met its commitments under the deal it signed last July with six global powers, including the United States.

Secretary of State John F. Kerry flew from London to Vienna in the early afternoon local time. He went immediately into a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at the Coburg Palace Hotel, the scene of months-long final negotiations last summer that led to the deal between Iran and the world powers.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/world-leaders-gather-in-anticipation-of-ending-iran-sanctions/2016/01/16/6c48f746-bc4b-11e5-829c-26ffb874a18d_story.html

[underpants]

1. Damn! Thought we could get our bomb on

Blast you PEACE!!!!

[forest444]

2. A great day for Peace. A bad day to be a Republican.

The two usually coincide.

[Roy Rolling]

21. "Job-killing Obama"

Thanks, Obama. Now all those war profiteering-jobs from dropping bombs, killing people, and rebuilding infrastructure in other countries are lost.

I expect the Chamber of Commerce to chime in shortly.

[global1]

3. Eat That You Repugs.....nt

[forest444]

4. Veeeeeeery long faces on Fucks and Friends right now.

[Hoyt]

5. One of the right wingers on Bill Maher last night was complaining because these people were still

being held as Maher was talking about how diplomacy worked with the Navy guys. I think it was Ralph Reed. Eat that Ralphie.

[underpants]

6. Have it on tape. Nothing says Christian like wanting violence

[forest444]

8. Remember when the Pugs thought Christian Coalition Ralphie could be President someday?

Probably another one of Dubya's boyfriends, like James Guckert or whatever the hell his name was.

New rule: Ralph Reed cannot appear on Bill Maher's show, until Reed returns the millions in unethical (if not illegal) in religious tax exemptions over the years.

[7962]

7. Who are the other 4?

[forest444]

10. Pastor Saeed Abedini, Marine Amir Hekmati, and activist Nusratallah Khosravi.

Businessman Siamak Namazi had been considered, but still faces fraud charges. Robert Levinson, the captured CIA operative, is still in custody.

[sinkingfeeling]

9. Washington Post, the word is 'dual'.

[forest444]

11. Touché

[Botany]

12. I bet that Kerry and Zarif spoke French too.

Win one for the grown ups and diplomacy.

John Kerry goes right up there w/President Obama as being one of the best
if not the best at his job in our nation's history.

"Secretary of State John F. Kerry flew from London to Vienna in the early afternoon local time. He went immediately into a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at the Coburg Palace Hotel, the scene of months-long final negotiations last summer that led to the deal between Iran and the world powers."

[jpak]

13. and GOP heads explode - as they continue to criticise Obama's historic nuclear deal

lulz

[CTyankee]

15. that was my first thought too. they will now have to eat some deliciously cooked up words

prepared especially for you by Obama, Kerry, et al. Unfortunately, they will be in French...

[christx30]

16. Naaa. They're angry over the swap.

Who are these people being swapped for?
"4 terrorists to be named later."

[Sunlei]

14. A very positive step in the right direction.

[Wounded Bear]

17. Makes me wonder...

if perhaps this was always part of the nuclear deal. That's one of the Repub talking points that we were negotiating about the nuke shit but ignoring the prisoners they were holidng. The timing of this is again a bit curious.

Anyway, good news!

[forest444]

18. It's quite possible.

Of course, it could just as well be a gesture of goodwill on the part of Iran itself. Holding on to them is no longer useful to them in any way, and only plays into Rapepublican hands - the very people I'm pretty sure no one in Iran - and even in our once staunchly-Republican Iranian-American community - would like to see come to power next year.

As an aside, I'm proud to say I met Secretary Kerry (and Teresa Heinz Kerry) once. It was during their book tour for This Moment on Earth. Really nice people.

They didn't have much time for each and every one in line, obviously; but they treated you almost as if you were the only one there.

If he and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif don't win the Nobel Peace Prize next year, they might as well close up shop.

[Kingofalldems]

19. Filthy republicans not liking this one. They wanted him dead.

Lots of teeth gnashing in the Rove household.

[forest444]

20. And near beer drinking at the Bushes'.

To drown their sorrows. Bottoms up!

[MowCowWhoHow III]

22. US pardons seven Iranians in exchange for four prisoners

US pardons seven Iranians in exchange for four prisoners

Washington (AFP) - The United States granted clemency to seven Iranians and dropped charges against 14 more in exchange for the release of four Americans held in Iran, a US official said Saturday.

"Through a diplomatic channel that was established with the focus of getting our detained US citizens home, we can confirm Iran has released from imprisonment four Americans detained in Iran: Amir Hekmati, Saeed Abedini, Jason Rezaian, and Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari," he said.

"We offered clemency to seven Iranians, six of whom are dual US-Iranian citizens, who had been convicted or are pending trial in the United States. The United States also removed any Interpol red notices and dismissed any charges against 14 Iranians for whom it was assessed that extradition requests were unlikely to be successful."

http://news.yahoo.com/us-pardons-seven-iranians-exchange-four-prisoners-172136560.html;_ylt=A0LEVwq6fZpW.TEAGhVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--

[wheniwasincongress]

23. Thanks, Obama!

[one_voice]

24. Locking..

Dupe.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141316305