Iran says scientist back home from US after prisoner swap

TEHRAN: An Iranian scientist returned home Monday after his release from a US jail in what the Islamic republic said was a prisoner exchange it hopes can be repeated between the arch-foes.

Majid Taheri — an Iranian-American who had been working at a clinic in Tampa, Florida — had been detained in the United States for 16 months. He was freed last Thursday as Iran released US Navy veteran Michael White, who had been detained in the country since his arrest in July 2018. Upon his arrival at Tehran´s Imam Khomeini International Airport, Taheri was greeted by deputy foreign minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari.

State media published pictures of the pair speaking to journalists. “I hope to see the release of (other Iranians imprisoned abroad) in the near future,” Ansari was quoted as saying by ISNA news agency, adding his ministry would do its best to achieve this.