US and Iran swap prisoners in a Qatar-mediated deal

Five U.S. detainees flew out of Iran today in a swap for five Iranians held in the U.S. in a rare deal between the arch enemies that also unfroze 6 billion US Dollars of Tehran's funds.

     

A plane sent by mediator Qatar flew the five U.S. citizens and two of their relatives out of Tehran soon after both sides received confirmation the funds had been transferred to accounts in Doha. 

At the same time, two of the five Iranians landed in Qatar, a U.S. official



said, adding that three others have opted not to return to Iran. The deal, after months of talks in Qatar, removes a major irritant between the U.S. and Iran.

 

A senior U.S. administration official said the deal did not change Washington's adversarial relationship with Tehran, but the door was open for diplomacy on Iran's nuclear programme. Under the deal, Qatar will ensure the cash is spent on humanitarian goods and not items under U.S. sanctions.