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| Speculation grows that Iran willing to 'swap' Washington Post reporter | Speculation grows that Iran willing to 'swap' Washington Post reporter |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The case against Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, who is expected to be sentenced in Iran this week, remains a mystery and subject to much speculation. Some have said that Rezaian, who was arrested along with his wife Yeganeh Salehi at their home in Tehran on 22 July 2014, was a pawn in the nuclear negotiations. | The case against Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, who is expected to be sentenced in Iran this week, remains a mystery and subject to much speculation. Some have said that Rezaian, who was arrested along with his wife Yeganeh Salehi at their home in Tehran on 22 July 2014, was a pawn in the nuclear negotiations. |
| Others claimed he was collateral damage in the infighting among factions of the regime. Some even suggested that Rezaian got a bit comfortable in Iran and permitted himself to form too many professional and social ties. | Others claimed he was collateral damage in the infighting among factions of the regime. Some even suggested that Rezaian got a bit comfortable in Iran and permitted himself to form too many professional and social ties. |
| In response to a statement by US officials declaring it unlawful to try the US-born correspondent as an Iranian citizen, foreign ministry spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said on 28 May: “Instead of projection, they (US officials) should take a look at the unfair prosecution of Iranian citizens who are jailed in the US on baseless charges.” | In response to a statement by US officials declaring it unlawful to try the US-born correspondent as an Iranian citizen, foreign ministry spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said on 28 May: “Instead of projection, they (US officials) should take a look at the unfair prosecution of Iranian citizens who are jailed in the US on baseless charges.” |
| The public lacks access to concrete evidence behind the charges against Rezaian, which ranges from espionage, to conducting propaganda against the establishment, to collaborating with hostile governments and collecting information about internal and foreign policy and providing them to individuals with malicious intent. | The public lacks access to concrete evidence behind the charges against Rezaian, which ranges from espionage, to conducting propaganda against the establishment, to collaborating with hostile governments and collecting information about internal and foreign policy and providing them to individuals with malicious intent. |
| However, recent inadvertent revelations by Iran’s members of parliament, as well as the Islamic Republic’s historic penchant for prisoner swaps, suggest Rezaian may be the victim of a carefully orchestrated operation. | However, recent inadvertent revelations by Iran’s members of parliament, as well as the Islamic Republic’s historic penchant for prisoner swaps, suggest Rezaian may be the victim of a carefully orchestrated operation. |
| So far all Rezaian’s court sessions have been held behind closed doors. Authorities have even barred his wife, who has been named in the case and is currently out on bail. Aside from the charges, his lawyer Leyla Ahsan has refused to share information about the case with the media, citing confidentiality rules surrounding the trial. | So far all Rezaian’s court sessions have been held behind closed doors. Authorities have even barred his wife, who has been named in the case and is currently out on bail. Aside from the charges, his lawyer Leyla Ahsan has refused to share information about the case with the media, citing confidentiality rules surrounding the trial. |
| Throughout Rezaian’s year-long ordeal, Iranian officials have remained tightlipped, brushing off reporters’ questions with a slew of excuses. | Throughout Rezaian’s year-long ordeal, Iranian officials have remained tightlipped, brushing off reporters’ questions with a slew of excuses. |
| History of prisoner swaps | History of prisoner swaps |
| Rezaian is one of four Americans currently imprisoned in Iran. The others are Saeed Abedini, a Christian pastor arrested in 2010; Robert Levinson, a former FBI officer who disappeared from Iran’s Kish Island in 2007; and Amir Hekmati, an Iranian-American ex-Marine who was detained in 2011 while visiting family. | Rezaian is one of four Americans currently imprisoned in Iran. The others are Saeed Abedini, a Christian pastor arrested in 2010; Robert Levinson, a former FBI officer who disappeared from Iran’s Kish Island in 2007; and Amir Hekmati, an Iranian-American ex-Marine who was detained in 2011 while visiting family. |
| Hekmati was initially found to be Mohareb - enemy of God - and sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to 10 years in prison. | Hekmati was initially found to be Mohareb - enemy of God - and sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to 10 years in prison. |
| On 30 December 2014, Hekmati’s lawyer Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabai told Tasnim News that the United States had asked Iran through its interest section to swap Hekmati for an “unidentified” prisoner. In a letter to Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, however, Hekmati revealed that the situation may have been completely different. “For the past three years, my family has been receiving emails and phone calls from individuals in Iran proposing prisoner exchanges, going so far as asking my family to lobby publicly for the release of these individuals,” the letter read. | On 30 December 2014, Hekmati’s lawyer Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabai told Tasnim News that the United States had asked Iran through its interest section to swap Hekmati for an “unidentified” prisoner. In a letter to Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, however, Hekmati revealed that the situation may have been completely different. “For the past three years, my family has been receiving emails and phone calls from individuals in Iran proposing prisoner exchanges, going so far as asking my family to lobby publicly for the release of these individuals,” the letter read. |
| Hekmati added, “Considering I have committed no crime and have no connections to these individuals, my family and I fail to see why we should have to lobby for their release or why I should have to spend the next ten years in prison.” | Hekmati added, “Considering I have committed no crime and have no connections to these individuals, my family and I fail to see why we should have to lobby for their release or why I should have to spend the next ten years in prison.” |
| Another telling case is that of four other Iranians who had been detained in the United States and Britain: two convicted arms smugglers, a retired diplomat and a prominent scientist convicted of illegal exports to Iran. According to The Wall Street Journal, starting in late 2009, Iran secretly passed to the White House the names of prisoners it wanted released, “part of a wish list to test President Barack Obama’s commitment to improving ties and a move that set off years of clandestine dispatches that helped open the door to nuclear negotiations.” According to the newspaper, the US eventually agreed to some of the requests, including help with the release of four Iranians: Nosratollah Tajik, Mojtaba Atarodi, Amir Hossein Seirafi, and Shahrzad Mir Gholikhan. | Another telling case is that of four other Iranians who had been detained in the United States and Britain: two convicted arms smugglers, a retired diplomat and a prominent scientist convicted of illegal exports to Iran. According to The Wall Street Journal, starting in late 2009, Iran secretly passed to the White House the names of prisoners it wanted released, “part of a wish list to test President Barack Obama’s commitment to improving ties and a move that set off years of clandestine dispatches that helped open the door to nuclear negotiations.” According to the newspaper, the US eventually agreed to some of the requests, including help with the release of four Iranians: Nosratollah Tajik, Mojtaba Atarodi, Amir Hossein Seirafi, and Shahrzad Mir Gholikhan. |
| Mir Gholikhan was convicted in 2009 for attempting to smuggle military-grade night vision goggles to Iran. It is widely believed that she was swapped for Sarah Shourd, who was arrested along with Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal for illegally crossing into the country while hiking near the border in 2009. After her release in 2012, Mir Gholikhan said in an interview that “Sarah was released because of her” and even mentions the exchange in her autobiography. | Mir Gholikhan was convicted in 2009 for attempting to smuggle military-grade night vision goggles to Iran. It is widely believed that she was swapped for Sarah Shourd, who was arrested along with Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal for illegally crossing into the country while hiking near the border in 2009. After her release in 2012, Mir Gholikhan said in an interview that “Sarah was released because of her” and even mentions the exchange in her autobiography. |
| Discussions last week in the Iranian parliament over a prisoner swap deal with Japan brought two lawmakers head to head, inadvertently shedding light on previously undisclosed aspects of Rezaian’s case. Lawmakers were voting to approve an extradition treaty signed by the two countries earlier this year. | Discussions last week in the Iranian parliament over a prisoner swap deal with Japan brought two lawmakers head to head, inadvertently shedding light on previously undisclosed aspects of Rezaian’s case. Lawmakers were voting to approve an extradition treaty signed by the two countries earlier this year. |
| According to the Student News Agency, Tehran representative Hamid Rasaei asked why Iran was not entering a prisoner exchange agreement with the United States. He was promptly chastised by his political rival Mehdi Davatgari, who accused him of disregarding supreme leader Ali Khamanei’s direct orders. (In the Islamic Republic, this connotes a red line on a par with committing political suicide.) | According to the Student News Agency, Tehran representative Hamid Rasaei asked why Iran was not entering a prisoner exchange agreement with the United States. He was promptly chastised by his political rival Mehdi Davatgari, who accused him of disregarding supreme leader Ali Khamanei’s direct orders. (In the Islamic Republic, this connotes a red line on a par with committing political suicide.) |
| “To exchange prisoners there needs to be an agreement between the two countries and the Leader told the nuclear negotiators they are allowed only to discuss the nuclear issue with America and nothing else,” said Davatgari, a member of the Majlis national security and foreign policy commission. | “To exchange prisoners there needs to be an agreement between the two countries and the Leader told the nuclear negotiators they are allowed only to discuss the nuclear issue with America and nothing else,” said Davatgari, a member of the Majlis national security and foreign policy commission. |
| “Mr Rasaei believes the foreign ministry should negotiate with America about prisoner swaps when it’s against the Supreme Leader’s orders and the Supreme Leader has not given permission?” he asked, rhetorically. | “Mr Rasaei believes the foreign ministry should negotiate with America about prisoner swaps when it’s against the Supreme Leader’s orders and the Supreme Leader has not given permission?” he asked, rhetorically. |
| Rasaei rejected the accusation, but continued to divulge that the nuclear issue was not the only topic of the talks between Iran and the US. | Rasaei rejected the accusation, but continued to divulge that the nuclear issue was not the only topic of the talks between Iran and the US. |
| “I never said [Iranian negotiators] should go and negotiate [prisoner swaps],” Rasaei shot back. “But did the Supreme Leader give them permission to negotiate about Jason Rezaian?” | “I never said [Iranian negotiators] should go and negotiate [prisoner swaps],” Rasaei shot back. “But did the Supreme Leader give them permission to negotiate about Jason Rezaian?” |
| The lawmaker did not stop there. | The lawmaker did not stop there. |
| “[Did the Supreme Leader approve] Mr Zarif calling and saying the Iranian ship headed for Yemen must return after John Kerry told him it must be turned back?” he went on, referring to a controversial incident in May when an Iranian ship bound for Yemen was diverted to a United Nations aid distribution hub in Djibouti, despite the Islamic Republic’s initial resistance. | “[Did the Supreme Leader approve] Mr Zarif calling and saying the Iranian ship headed for Yemen must return after John Kerry told him it must be turned back?” he went on, referring to a controversial incident in May when an Iranian ship bound for Yemen was diverted to a United Nations aid distribution hub in Djibouti, despite the Islamic Republic’s initial resistance. |
| Incidentally, earlier this year, Rasaei made another revelation. “An American official claims Rezaian has been jailed for 200 days without a trial,” he said, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a parliamentary session. “But if they heard his confessions … they would understand the reason behind his … [detention] in Iran.” It’s standard practice for Iranian authorities to extract fabricated statements from prisoners and try to use it as “evidence” against them. Resaei’s statement indicated that Rezaian had not been spared. | Incidentally, earlier this year, Rasaei made another revelation. “An American official claims Rezaian has been jailed for 200 days without a trial,” he said, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a parliamentary session. “But if they heard his confessions … they would understand the reason behind his … [detention] in Iran.” It’s standard practice for Iranian authorities to extract fabricated statements from prisoners and try to use it as “evidence” against them. Resaei’s statement indicated that Rezaian had not been spared. |
| Rasaei called on Iran’s state television to air Rezaian’s alleged confession, implying that they had been recorded. “By airing Rezaian’s confessions many things will be brought to light,” he said. | Rasaei called on Iran’s state television to air Rezaian’s alleged confession, implying that they had been recorded. “By airing Rezaian’s confessions many things will be brought to light,” he said. |
| In the past, Iran has sought the return of at least four other Iranians prized by the regime, including Mohsen Afrasiabi, a businessman who disappeared in Germany several years ago; Amir-Hossein Ardebili, who is jailed in the US for allegedly smuggling arms to Iran; Baktash Fattahi, who has been jailed for allegedly attempting to sell plane parts to Iran; and Ali Reza Asgari, a retired Islamic Revolution Guards Corps general who went missing in Turkey in 2006 and is rumoured to have either defected to the US, to be in US detention or to have committed suicide in Israeli custody. | In the past, Iran has sought the return of at least four other Iranians prized by the regime, including Mohsen Afrasiabi, a businessman who disappeared in Germany several years ago; Amir-Hossein Ardebili, who is jailed in the US for allegedly smuggling arms to Iran; Baktash Fattahi, who has been jailed for allegedly attempting to sell plane parts to Iran; and Ali Reza Asgari, a retired Islamic Revolution Guards Corps general who went missing in Turkey in 2006 and is rumoured to have either defected to the US, to be in US detention or to have committed suicide in Israeli custody. |
| A precedent was set after the 1979 revolution when the United States was forced into negotiating with Iranian hostage takers to win the release of more than 60 Americans. More recently, the case of the three US hikers, freed after Shahrzad Mir Gholikhan was swapped for Sarah Shourd, may be another example. Iran now knows that in order to get its people out of US prisons, all it has to do is arrest someone and wait for a swap to take place. | |
| In this context, Rezaian might not be a chance victim, but a calculated acquisition. | In this context, Rezaian might not be a chance victim, but a calculated acquisition. |