Iran-U.S. Prisoner Exchange; Plane Carrying Five Released Americans Leaves Tehran

Reports from Tehran indicate that the plane carrying five American prisoners released in Iran has left Tehran airport. The White House has also told Voice of America that the five American citizens imprisoned in Iran, who were freed as part of a prisoner exchange agreement, have boarded the plane and are heading to Qatar. Reuters reported this based on its sources. Nasser Kan'ani, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, announced in today's press conference that the prisoner exchange between Iran and the U.S. would take place today. This Iranian official also announced that 'the released Iranian assets in South Korea' would be 'made available to the government and people' today. Reuters also reported on Monday that Qatar has informed Washington and Tehran that Iran's funds worth $6 billion have been transferred to banks in Doha. Mohammad Reza Farzin, the head of the Central Bank of Iran, announced today during a press conference that an amount of €5 billion and €573 million has been deposited into the accounts of six Iranian banks at two banks, Al-Ahli and Al-Dukhan in Qatar. This Iranian official named the banks that have opened accounts in Qatar as Agricultural Bank, Saman, Pasargad, Tourism, Kaarafarin, and Shahr. The head of the Central Bank of Iran also stated that 'all payments will be made by international brokers through SWIFT.' Five Iranian-American citizens were transferred from prison to a location outside of prison on August 10, following the announcement of an agreement between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic. This agreement also includes the transfer of $6 billion from Iran's frozen funds in South Korea to Qatar and the release of five Iranians who have been 'convicted or accused' in the U.S. According to the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, two of these Iranians 'will return to Iran based on their own interest and desire, one will join his family in a third country, and two others wish to remain in the U.S.' Iranian officials have previously described the prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Iran as a 'humanitarian' issue and denied that the exchange of prisoners was in exchange for released frozen funds. Earlier, the Associated Press reported that the Biden administration has paved the way for the prisoner exchange by issuing a general 'waiver' for international banks to transfer $6 billion of Iran's frozen funds from South Korea to Qatar 'without fear of U.S. sanctions.' According to this news agency, Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, signed 'sanction waivers' a month after U.S. and Iranian officials stated that they had reached a preliminary agreement to release American prisoners in Iran. According to Voice of America, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department responded to reports about the issuance of a sanction waiver by the State Department for the transfer of frozen funds, stating that the issue is not a 'sanction waiver' but merely a technical approval for the transfer of previously announced funds. On August 10, Iran transferred four dual nationals from Evin prison to another controlled location, which is said to be in one of the hotels in Tehran. The fifth person had previously been placed under house arrest. Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated on the same day that this action is the first step in a process that will lead to the return of these five individuals to the U.S. Siamak Namazi, 51, and Emad Sharqi, 59, both businessmen, and Morad Tahbaz, 67, an environmental activist, are three of the five dual nationals released. The identities of the fourth and fifth individuals have not been disclosed, but it is said that one of them is a woman. On the other hand, the Iranians released in the U.S. have committed serious crimes such as circumventing U.S. sanctions against Iran. Voice of America previously reported the names of these individuals as Amin Hassan Zadeh, Mehrdad Ansari, Kambiz Attar Kashani, Reza Sarhangpour Kafriani, and Kaveh Lotfollah Afrasiabi. Exclusive; Details of the exchange of five accused or convicted Iranians in the U.S. with five American prisoners in Iran. The White House: Iran's funds in Qatar are subject to 'more legal restrictions.'