Michael White, an American citizen imprisoned in Iran, returned to his country
American citizen Michael White left Iran for the United States after spending about two years in prison. 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, he was transferred to the Swiss Embassy in Tehran on leave following the outbreak of the new coronavirus.
Brian Hook of the US State Department traveled to Switzerland with a doctor to welcome the American citizen and return him to his country.
Bill Richardson, the governor of the US state of New Mexico, also issued a statement welcoming Mr. White's release, emphasizing that this event should have happened sooner.
Mr. Richardson further stated that he has been involved in this case for more than a year on behalf of Wyclef White's mother to secure his release, and in this regard, he has regularly negotiated with Iranian officials, including Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iranian Foreign Minister, and Majid Tahteh Ravanchi, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations.
The governor of New Mexico described the negotiation process with Iranian officials as complicated "given the high tensions between Iran and the United States in recent months and the violence they have directed at each other."
Although it was expected that Michael White would be returned to the United States in the coming days, when an Iranian citizen was released from the United States, officials from the Islamic Republic and the United States have denied the issue of a prisoner exchange.
Sirous Asgari, an Iranian citizen imprisoned in the United States, arrived in Iran on Wednesday morning. Mr. Asgari, a professor at Sharif University of Technology, was accused of stealing confidential trade information, but after three years, a court found him not guilty last fall.
During the trial, the United States revoked Mr. Asgari’s visa, and he remained in prison after the trial ended on charges of being in the United States illegally. He had contracted the coronavirus in recent months.
Source: Radio Farda
