World News | Austria says 2 citizens held in Iran released, thanks Belgium and Oman

BERLIN, June 2 (AP) — Two Austrian citizens held in Iran have been released and are on their way home, Austria’s foreign minister said Friday.

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said he was “very relieved” that Kamran Gadri and Masood Mossaheb had been brought home after “years of difficult detention in Iran”.

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He thanked the foreign ministers of Belgium and Oman for their “valuable support” but did not elaborate on what form it would take.

Iranian state media and officials did not immediately acknowledge Friday’s release, part of a weekend in the Islamic Republic.

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Last week, an Iranian diplomat was convicted of trying to blow up people in exile in France returning to Tehran during a prisoner swap between Belgium and Iran, while a visibly emaciated aid worker returned to Brussels.

Over the years, Iran has detained foreigners and dual nationals on charges of espionage or other national security crimes and sentenced them after secret trials in which rights groups say they were denied due process.

Critics have repeatedly accused Iran of using the prisoners as bargaining chips with the West.

Iran, which faces Western sanctions over its rapidly advancing nuclear program, has faced protests and economic pressure in recent months.

However, it has seen the IAEA drop two investigations into its program while also reaching a détente with Saudi Arabia through Chinese mediation. (Associated Press)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)