Iran and Belgium Exchange Two Prisoners; Belgian Rescuer and Imprisoned Diplomat Assadollah Assadi Released

Iran and Belgium exchanged two prisoners with the mediation of Oman. Hours after Oman announced its mediation, officials from Iran and Belgium confirmed the release and exchange of Olivier Vandecasteele and Assadollah Assadi, a diplomat of the Islamic Republic. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo confirmed on Friday that 'Olivier Vandecasteele,' who had been detained in Tehran for '455 days,' has been released and 'if everything goes well, Olivier will be with us this evening.' Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also confirmed the release of Assadollah Assadi on Twitter on Friday, stating he would soon return to Iran. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman issued an official statement announcing that the country successfully mediated between Belgium and the Islamic Republic to 'resolve the issue of imprisoned citizens.' Earlier, Belgian media reported, citing Belgian officials, that the citizen released by the Islamic Republic is 'Olivier Vandecasteele' and is on his way back to the country. Previously, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman had issued an official statement announcing that it had successfully mediated between Belgium and the Islamic Republic to 'resolve the issue of imprisoned citizens,' without mentioning any names. Belgian officials had long demanded the release of 'Olivier Vandecasteele,' a 42-year-old Belgian rescuer who was arrested by the security forces of the Islamic Republic in February 2022 and sentenced to '40 years' in prison on charges of 'espionage.' Alexander De Croo had stated on April 26 that his country was 'considering' the Islamic Republic's request for 'the exchange of Assadollah Assadi for Olivier Vandecasteele.' Mr. Vandecasteele was exchanged for Assadollah Assadi, a diplomat of the Islamic Republic who had been convicted in a Belgian court. A photo of Assadollah Assadi, the diplomat of the Islamic Republic who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in Belgium, was also mentioned. Assadollah Assadi was the third secretary of the Iranian embassy in Vienna, Austria. He was arrested three years ago in Germany on charges of involvement in a bombing operation against a gathering of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization in Paris. His case was examined in the Antwerp terrorist court in Belgium along with three other defendants (Mehrdad Arefani, Amir Saadouni, and Nasimeh Naeimi), and on February 5, 2021, the Antwerp criminal court rejected Assadollah Assadi's diplomatic immunity and sentenced him to twenty years in prison. No photos or reports of the release and exchange of these two prisoners have been published yet, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman stated that 'the individuals released by Tehran and Brussels' would be transferred to Muscat, the capital of Oman, on Friday, June 5. Alexander De Croo had stated on April 26 that his country was 'considering' the Islamic Republic's request for 'the exchange of Assadollah Assadi for Olivier Vandecasteele.' Masoud Setayesh, the spokesperson for the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, stated on May 26 regarding the 'possibility of exchange' of Olivier Vandecasteele for Assadollah Assadi that the 'prisoner exchange agreement' between Iran and Belgium had been 'concluded and finalized' and the documents had also been 'exchanged.' In recent months, some members of the Belgian parliament, including Darya Safai, had opposed this prisoner exchange. The United States and European countries accuse the Islamic Republic of 'hostage-taking' by detaining dual nationals and foreigners to exchange them with their prisoners in other countries. In 2015, coinciding with the nuclear agreement, the Islamic Republic exchanged five foreign and dual nationals with Iranian prisoners in the United States. Darya Safai stated that the Belgian government should not link the release of its hostage citizen to the exchange with Assadollah Assadi. Reports from Voice of America regarding the possibility of exchanging Jalali and Assadollah Assadi followed the introduction of an extradition bill in the Belgian parliament. Belgium: The Iranian diplomat convicted in a terrorist case will not be released soon. The stepdaughter of the Belgian rescuer imprisoned in Iran confined herself for 24 hours. Belgium demanded the release of its imprisoned citizen in Iran. Iran welcomed the confirmation of the prisoner exchange agreement with Belgium: perhaps it will be 'influential' in Assadollah Assadi's case. The Belgian Constitutional Court rejected the request to annul the 'prisoner exchange treaty with Iran.' The prisoner exchange agreement between Belgium and Iran was suspended. The Belgian court removed the legal obstacles to the extradition of Assadollah Assadi. The Iranian judiciary emphasized the continuation of efforts for the extradition of Noury and Assadi. The prohibition on the transfer of Assadollah Assadi from Belgium was extended for another two months. Iran is seeking the release of Assadollah Assadi; Darya Safai stated that the United States wants to prevent it. With a ruling from the Brussels court, the transfer of Assadollah Assadi to Iran was prohibited. Darya Safai, a member of the Belgian parliament, stated that the criminal exchange bill is 'a deal for Assadollah Assadi.' Hundreds of activists protested against the criminal exchange bill between Belgium and Iran: 'participation in terrorism.'