Iran to free one American detainee
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Tehran, Sept 10, IRNA -- An Iranian official said here late Thursday that on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr (Fast Breaking Festival) and on Islamic passion ground, Iran will release one of the three Americans detained southwest Iran last year over illegally entering the country.
Director General of Culture and Islamic Guidance Minsitry's Press and Local Media Affairs Department, Ehsan Qazizadeh, said one of the Americans will be released in a ceremony to be held in Esteghlal International Hotel in Tehran on Saturday (September 10).
He gave no further details about the identity of the American who is going to be released, adding several Iranian officials and local and foreign journalists will also participate in the ceremony.
Some three Americans including Sarah Emily Shourd, 31, Shane Michael Bauer and Joshua Felix Fattal both 27, were arrested on Iranian soil in July 2009 after illegally crossing the border from the Kurdish mountains of northern Iraq.
They were later charged with espionage after Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi found evidence that the three US citizens had been cooperating with US intelligence agencies.
In late August the Iranian Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi announced that the investigation into the case of the three individuals was close to completion and that Tehran would announce the results when it is completed.
9060**1420
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 267067
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
