U.S. prisoners leave Iran for U.S. base as Obama hails win for diplomacy
Source: Reuters
World | Sun Jan 17, 2016 1:51pm EST
U.S. prisoners leave Iran for U.S. base as Obama hails win for diplomacy
WASHINGTON/ANKARA | BY LESLEY WROUGHTON AND PARISA HAFEZI
Three Iranian-Americans left Tehran for a U.S. base in Germany on Sunday under a prisoner swap following the lifting of most international sanctions on Iran under a deal that President Barack Obama said had cut off Tehran's path to a nuclear bomb.
In a sign of sustained readiness to track Iranian compliance with remaining United Nations curbs, the United States imposed fresh sanctions on 11 companies and individuals for supplying Iran's ballistic missile program.
The Obama administration had delayed the step for more than two weeks during tense negotiations to free five American prisoners, according to people familiar with the matter. Iran conducted a precision-guided ballistic missile test last October, violating a U.N. ban.
"This is a good day because once again we are seeing whats possible through strong American diplomacy," Obama said at the White House. "These things are a reminder of what we can achieve when we lead with strength and with wisdom."
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