Americans detained in Iran arrive back home after $6billion swap

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

54% : There is nothing partisan about saving the lives of innocent Americans and today should be a moment of American unity as we welcome them home.'Iran and the U.S. have a history of prisoner swaps dating back to the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover and hostage crisis following the Islamic Revolution.
53% : Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi says the swap was a 'step in the direction of humanitarian action between us and America.''It can definitely help in building trust,' Raisi told journalists.Relatives cheered and cried as the former detainees stepped off the plane this morning.U.S officials arrange a group photo after freed Americans Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz and Emad ShargiA family member embraces freed American Siamak Namazi on the tarmac'The whole family went through a lot of ups and downs knowing what he's going through in prison.
53% : They were all convicted of acting against the USIran's President Ebrahim Raisi says the swap was a 'step in the direction of humanitarian action between us and America.'
52% : The five Americans being held prisoner in Iran arrived home early this morning after having their freedom bought by President Biden for $6billion and the release of five Iranians in the US.
52% : Their release was part of a 'humanitarian' trade with Iran, one of the country's fiercest adversaries, that involved the unfreezing of $6billion in assets that President Trump seized in 2018.
49% : Secretary of State Anthony Blinken insisted yesterday that the US would retain 'absolute control' over the$6billion in unfrozen funds and insist it was being used on humanitarian goods and not to fund terrorism.
47% : There's no point in being happy about the prospects of him being released until he's really out of the air space of Iran.
42% : Nour News identified the two in Doha as: Mehrdad Ansari, an Iranian sentenced by the U.S. to 63 months in prison in 2021 for obtaining equipment that could be used in missiles, electronic warfare, nuclear weapons and other military gear, and Reza Sarhangpour Kafrani, an Iranian charged in 2021 over allegedly unlawfully exporting laboratory equipment to Iran.
40% : The $5.9 billion in cash released to Iran represents money South Korea owed Iran - but had not yet paid - for oil purchased before the U.S. imposed sanctions on such transactions in 2019.
39% : Iranian government officials have largely concurred, though some hard-liners have insisted, without evidence, that there would be no restrictions on how Tehran spends the money.
38% : Two of the imprisoned Americans' family members, Effie Namazi and Vida Tahbaz, who had been under travel bans in Iran, also were on the plane.
38% : Kambiz Attar-Kashani, Kaveh Afraisiabi, and Amin Hasanzadeh have decided not to return to Iran.
35% : 'It can definitely help in building trust,' Raisi told journalistsThe deal has already opened Biden to fresh criticism from Republicans and others who say the administration is helping boost the Iranian economy at a time when Iran poses a growing threat to American troops and Mideast allies.
29% : They arrived via private jet from DohaSome of the men had been in prison in Iran for as long as eight yearsBiden's team of negotiators also agreed to release five Iranian men being held in the US, including some who were jailed for selling missile materials from America back to the Iranians.
26% : Mehrdad Ansari, who was convicted of supplying Iran with materials to be used in missiles, and Reza Sarhangpour, who was convicted of assisting the Central Bank of Iran by supplying it with computer equipment and software, are among those being freed by the USIn a statement issued on his behalf, Namazi said yesterday: 'I would not be free today, if it wasn´t for all of you who didn´t allow the world to forget me.'THE FIVE IRANIANS BEING RELEASED AS PART OF BIDEN DEALKaveh Lotfolah Afrasiabi, an Iranian charged in 2021 with allegedly failing to register as a foreign agent on Iran's behalf while lobbying U.S. officials on issues like nuclear policyMehrdad Ansari, an Iranian sentenced to 63 months in prison in 2021 for obtaining equipment that could be used in missiles, electronic warfare, nuclear weapons and other military gearAmin Hasanzadeh, an Iranian and permanent resident of the United States whom prosecutors charged in 2019 with allegedly stealing engineering plans from his employer to send to IranReza Sarhangpour Kafrani, an Iranian charged in 2021 over allegedly unlawfully exporting laboratory equipment to Iran; andKambiz Attar Kashani, an Iranian-American sentenced in February to 30 months in prison for purchasing 'sophisticated, top-tier U.S. electronic equipment and software' through front companies in the United Arab EmiratesAdvertisement'Thank you for being my voice when I could not speak for myself and for making sure I was heard when I mustered the strength to scream from behind the impenetrable walls of Evin Prison.'He thanked President Biden for securing his release and 'putting the lives of American citizens above politics.'The United States did not immediately identify the other two freed Americans.

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