Iran hints prisoner swap may be way to free jailed American journalist

Lauren Gambino in New York
Friday 4 September 2015 21.38 BST

The speaker of Iran’s parliament has hinted that a prisoner swap is one possible way to free jailed American journalist Jason Rezaian, who has been tried on espionage charges in a closed Tehran court.

During an interview with NPR published on Thursday, Ali Larijani was asked if he could foresee a “practical way” to liberate both Rezaian, who is awaiting sentencing after more than a year spent in prison, and the other Americans held in Iran.

“There are practical ways of course,” Larijani said. “For example, there is a number of Iranians in prison here. Definitely for matters of this sort, one can come up with solutions. I think your politicians know about those ways.”

Pressed on whether he was suggesting a prisoner swap, Larijani replied: “That’s one way. There are other ways that the judiciary systems of the two countries can come up with. It is the judiciary that has to decide about it.”

Though the Iranian politician does not have direct authority over Rezaian, his brother, Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani, is the head of Iran’s judiciary system.

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