|
 The Post's owner and Amazon.com Inc <AMZN.O> founder Jeff Bezos
accompanied the Iranian-American journalist and his family on the
flight to the United States on a private jet, the Post reported.
The newspaper printed a picture of Bezos with his arm around
Rezaian's shoulder and both men smiling aboard an aircraft. The
caption said it showed the two men before taking off for the United
States from Saarbruecken, Germany, on Friday.
Rezaian, who had been staying in Germany after leaving Iran on
Sunday, said he was grateful for his newfound freedom but was not
yet ready to talk about his imprisonment.
"At some point, I will be ready to discuss my ordeal but for now, I
just want to express my profound appreciation for the tremendous
support I have received," he said in a statement.
 "Today, I am incredibly thankful for my family, my fellow
journalists, my colleagues at the Washington Post, and everyone else
who fought for my freedom," he said.
The prisoner swap was announced as world powers, including the
United States, implemented a landmark nuclear deal with Iran that
eased tensions between Tehran and the West. In exchange for the
release of five Americans from Iran, the White House offered
clemency to seven Iranians who were convicted or facing trial in the
United States.
Two other Americans freed by Iran, a Christian minister and a former
U.S. Marine, returned to the United States on Thursday.
[to top of second column] |
Rezaian, who was born in California and holds dual U.S. and Iranian
citizenship, was accused of espionage by Iran. He and his wife
Yeganeh Salehi, who is Iranian, were arrested in July 2014, although
she was later freed.
Rezaian's brother Ali along with executives at the Post had led the
effort to seek their release, urging the Obama administration to
press the issue with Iran.
After his release, Rezaian spent several days at the U.S. military
hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. Rezaian and his family had dinner
with Bezos on the base on Thursday, the Post said.
"Like all of us, he is incredibly happy they are safe and sound,"
Post spokeswoman Kristine Coratti Kelly was quoted by the newspaper
as saying of Bezos.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey and Mohammad Zargham; Editing by James
Dalgleish and Alistair Bell)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
