Austria Announces the Release and Return of Two Imprisoned Citizens from Iran; Belgium: A Danish Citizen Has Also Been Released

On Friday, June 2, the Austrian Foreign Minister announced the release of Kamran Ghaderi and Masoud Mosaheb, two dual Iranian-Austrian citizens imprisoned in Iran. According to Alexander Schallenberg, the Austrian Foreign Minister, Kamran and Masoud were freed after years of difficult and exhausting imprisonment, and their families are eagerly awaiting their reunion. Kamran Ghaderi and Masoud Mosaheb were welcomed by Alexander Schallenberg at the airport upon their arrival in Austria on Saturday. In his statement, Schallenberg expressed gratitude to Hajjah Labib and Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi, the foreign ministers of Belgium and Oman, for their 'valuable support,' noting the fruitful outcome of 'years of diplomatic efforts.' He added that their perseverance has borne fruit through 'close, cautious, and sincere cooperation with our partners.' Schallenberg concluded his statement by expressing joy over the return of these two citizens to their families and thanking his colleagues at the Austrian Foreign Ministry and the embassy in Tehran. Hajjah Labib, the Belgian Foreign Minister, also announced the release of two Austrian citizens and one 'wrongfully imprisoned' Danish citizen in Iran. Emphasizing his country's unwavering support for the freedom of European citizens who have been arbitrarily detained, he stated that support for fundamental rights and freedoms will remain a priority of Belgian foreign policy. Hours later, Hajjah Labib tweeted a picture of the released prisoners, stating, 'Three European citizens who were detained in Iran have regained their freedom, and I, along with representatives from Austria and Denmark, welcomed them in Belgium.' He described the moment as both sorrowful yet satisfying, asserting, 'Our commitment to all those who remain in prison is unwavering.' The release of these three European citizens comes about three weeks after the release of two other French and Franco-Irish citizens named Benjamin Brier and Bernard Filan. Additionally, last Friday, the governments of Iran and Oman, facilitated by the Sultanate of Oman, exchanged Assadollah Assadi, a diplomat convicted of involvement in a terrorist act, for Olivier Vandecasteele, a Belgian humanitarian worker. Western countries have labeled the imprisonment of their citizens by the Islamic Republic as 'political hostage-taking' and have repeatedly urged the Islamic Republic to end this 'oppressive' practice. However, the Islamic Republic continues to detain and imprison Western and dual citizens on charges such as 'espionage' and 'actions against national security' without providing any evidence. Olivier Vandecasteele, upon returning to Belgium, stated, 'We must strive for the freedom of other hostages.' The lawyer of Siamak Namazi and the spouse of Shahab Deli denied the claim of 'the release of dual citizens.' The 'Britain Committee for the Freedom of Iran' strongly condemned the release of Assadollah Assadi. Iran and Belgium exchanged two prisoners; the Belgian humanitarian worker and the imprisoned diplomat Assadollah Assadi were released. London has warned that holding a British passport is sufficient reason for imprisonment in Iran. France and Ireland confirmed the release of their two imprisoned citizens in Iran.