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"Negotiations are under way on the exchange of prisoners between
Iran and America, and we will issue more information if Iranian
prisoners are released and the country's interests are secured
and the talks reach a conclusion," government spokesman Ali
Rabiei said.
"Because of its humanitarian aims, Iran is ready to exchange
all American political prisoners in exchange for the release of
all Iranian prisoners who have been detained around the world at
the behest of America," he told a news conference carried on a
government website.
There was no immediate U.S. comment on his remarks.
Iran's talks with world powers on reviving a 2015 nuclear deal,
which the United States quit in 2018, have been suspended for
three weeks. The deal imposed restrictions on Iran's nuclear
activities in exchange for lifting international sanctions.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday that
Washington would not impose a deadline on a seventh round of
talks, and only Tehran could determine when talks would resume.
The Islamic Republic, which is holding a handful of
Iranian-Americans, has been accused by rights activists of
arresting dual nationals to try to extract concessions from
other countries. Iran has dismissed the charge.
In May, the United States denied a report by Iranian state
television that the countries had reached a prisoner swap deal
in exchange for the release of $7 billion in frozen Iranian oil
funds under U.S. sanctions in other countries.
(Reporting by Dubai newsroom, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
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