https://www.arabnews.com/node/2358701/middle-east
There is a “for sale” sign up by the Tehran government for political hostages held illegally in Iran. Who is winning the political hostage battle? It could have started with Anousheh Ashouri Nazanin and Zaghari-Ratcliffe, dual British/Iranian nationals, both had been arrested, detained and jailed on false accusations. In Mar 22 the two UK political hostages were purchased back by the United Kingdom government for £400 million, a debt owed to the Shah of Iran before the theocrats took over. Saeed Khatibzadeh Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said there has been no link between Britain’s payback of its debt to the Islamic Republic and the freedom of two dual British-Iranian nationals. Then there is the prisoner swap between Iran and Belgium. Belgium passed a prisoner exchange law in order to bring home a wrongfully arrested and charged Olivier Vandecasteele. He had been arrested because of Assadollah Assadi who was an Iranian serving as a diplomat in Austria and was caught out of bounds and involved in a proven terrorist charge against the NCRI in Paris. In May 23 France managed to exchange three prisoners with Iran without concessions. Next, we have the Aug 23 purchasing of US/Iranian political hostages by the United States. On the 10 Aug 23 Arabic websites announced a deal had been struck between Iran and the United States Democratic Administration of Joe Biden. The deal was that Iran would ‘sell’ back five Iranian/American dual national hostages for the release of $7 billion from South Korea where it had been held since sanctions were imposed in 2018 along with the exchange of five Iranian prisoners. The funds would only be accessible for food and medicine and no sanctions relief. Iran’s foreign ministry said in a statement that “The Islamic Republic will decide how to use the released funds, and these funds will be appropriated for the various needs of the country by the appropriate authorities.” It is up to "the Islamic Republic and competent Iranian authorities" to determine the manner of application of the unfrozen funds, the statement said. In 2015 the Democrat Obama administration in order to secure the nuclear agreement with Iran paid the Iranians $1.7 billion which secured the release of four American political hostages held in Iran. Obama also exchanged 14 Iranians for whom it was assessed that extradition requests were unlikely to be successful and freed another seven. But the real bargaining started in 1979 when the Democrat administration of Jimmy Carter bought back the 52 American hostages of 1979. A total of $9.5 billion was paid to Iran. The question is, is the taking of political prisoners by Iran a lucrative business? Certainly, the next question that has to be asked is, “who else is holding Iranian funds and will more political hostages be kidnapped and held to ransom?”
There is a “for sale” sign up by the Tehran government for political hostages held illegally in Iran. Who is winning the political hostage battle? It could have started with Anousheh Ashouri Nazanin and Zaghari-Ratcliffe, dual British/Iranian nationals, both had been arrested, detained and jailed on false accusations. In Mar 22 the two UK political hostages were purchased back by the United Kingdom government for £400 million, a debt owed to the Shah of Iran before the theocrats took over. Saeed Khatibzadeh Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said there has been no link between Britain’s payback of its debt to the Islamic Republic and the freedom of two dual British-Iranian nationals. Then there is the prisoner swap between Iran and Belgium. Belgium passed a prisoner exchange law in order to bring home a wrongfully arrested and charged Olivier Vandecasteele. He had been arrested because of Assadollah Assadi who was an Iranian serving as a diplomat in Austria and was caught out of bounds and involved in a proven terrorist charge against the NCRI in Paris. In May 23 France managed to exchange three prisoners with Iran without concessions. Next, we have the Aug 23 purchasing of US/Iranian political hostages by the United States. On the 10 Aug 23 Arabic websites announced a deal had been struck between Iran and the United States Democratic Administration of Joe Biden. The deal was that Iran would ‘sell’ back five Iranian/American dual national hostages for the release of $7 billion from South Korea where it had been held since sanctions were imposed in 2018 along with the exchange of five Iranian prisoners. The funds would only be accessible for food and medicine and no sanctions relief. Iran’s foreign ministry said in a statement that “The Islamic Republic will decide how to use the released funds, and these funds will be appropriated for the various needs of the country by the appropriate authorities.” It is up to "the Islamic Republic and competent Iranian authorities" to determine the manner of application of the unfrozen funds, the statement said. In 2015 the Democrat Obama administration in order to secure the nuclear agreement with Iran paid the Iranians $1.7 billion which secured the release of four American political hostages held in Iran. Obama also exchanged 14 Iranians for whom it was assessed that extradition requests were unlikely to be successful and freed another seven. But the real bargaining started in 1979 when the Democrat administration of Jimmy Carter bought back the 52 American hostages of 1979. A total of $9.5 billion was paid to Iran. The question is, is the taking of political prisoners by Iran a lucrative business? Certainly, the next question that has to be asked is, “who else is holding Iranian funds and will more political hostages be kidnapped and held to ransom?”
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