Michael White, American Citizen Imprisoned in Iran, Returns to His Country

Michael White, an American citizen, left Iran after approximately two years of imprisonment and headed to the United States. Mr. White was sentenced to 10 years in prison about two years ago on charges of “insulting” the leader of the Islamic Republic and “publicly publishing a private photo.” However, following the outbreak of the new coronavirus, he was transferred to the Swiss Embassy in Tehran on furlough.

Brian Hook from the U.S. State Department, along with a physician, traveled to Switzerland to receive this American citizen and return him to his country.

Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico, also welcomed Mr. White’s release by issuing a statement, emphasizing that this event should have occurred earlier.

Mr. Richardson further stated that he had been engaged with this case on behalf of Michael White’s mother for more than a year to facilitate his release, and in this regard had regularly negotiated with Iranian officials including Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s Foreign Minister, and Majid Takht Ravanchi, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations.

The governor of New Mexico described the negotiation process with Iranian officials as complicated “given the severe tensions between Iran and the United States in recent months and the violence directed at each other.”

Although it was expected that Michael White would be returned to America during these days when an Iranian citizen was released from the United States, both the Islamic Republic and American officials denied that this was a prisoner exchange.

Sirous Asgari, an Iranian citizen who was imprisoned in America, arrived in Iran on Wednesday morning. Mr. Asgari, a professor at Sharif University of Technology, was accused of stealing confidential commercial information, but after three years, a court found him not guilty in the fall of last year.

During the court proceedings, the United States revoked Mr. Asgari’s visa, and with the conclusion of the trial, he remained in prison on charges of illegal presence in American territory. He had contracted coronavirus in recent months.

Source: Radio Farda