A prisoner exchange between Iran and the United States is expected to take place on Monday, officials said.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani acknowledged during a news conference that the exchange would take place on Monday without providing additional information, according to the Associated Press. The deal includes the release of five Iranians imprisoned in the US for five Americans imprisoned in Iran and the release of about $6 billion that had been frozen in South Korea.
Kanaani said the cash, a key element of the planned exchange, is now in Qatar.
“We are witnessing the seizure of spare parts (sic) of Iranian assets in some countries, including South Korea,” Kanaani said. “As part of our active foreign diplomacy policy, Iran’s frozen assets in South Korea have fortunately been released and God willing today the assets will begin to be fully controlled by the government and the nation.”
ADMIN BIDEN STRIKES PARTICIPATION WITH IRAN FOR PRISONER EXCHANGE, RELEASE OF 6 BILLION.
About $6 billion of Iranian assets frozen in South Korea are in Qatar, a key element of a planned prisoner swap between Tehran and the United States, an Iranian official said Monday, Sept. 18, 2023. (Iranian Foreign Ministry via AP)
“Regarding the issue of the exchange of prisoners, it will take place today and five prisoners, citizens of the Islamic Republic, will be released from prisons in the US,” Kanaani added. “Five imprisoned citizens who were in Iran will be mutually given to the American side, based on their will. We expect these two issues [to] fully carried out under the agreement”.
Kanaani said two of the Iranian detainees will remain in the US
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Biden administration has yet to acknowledge the comments or confirm the time of the exchange.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
