Officials in Austria have expressed their relief at the release of two of their countrymen who had been imprisoned in Iran for years.
Kamran Ghaderi and Massud Mossaheb, dual nationals of Austria and Iran, were released as part of a prisoner transfer involving Europeans and an Iranian diplomat.
The pair’s detention in Iran on espionage and security allegations, respectively, drew international criticism.
Belgium reported that a third individual, a Danish national, had also been released.
According to Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, the three were traveling to Belgium via Oman following medical examinations.
Local media reported that Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib will meet them at the Melsbroek military airport just outside of Brussels.
Alexander Schallenberg, her Austrian counterpart, expressed his happiness that both men could return home after years of “arduous imprisonment.”
In a statement from the foreign ministry, he stated that Austria would leave “no stone unturned” in its efforts to secure the release of a third Austrian citizen who is still imprisoned in Iran and whose sentence is presently under appeal.
Chancellor Karl Nehammer, meanwhile, said the released men’s lengthy path of suffering was now at an end.
Mr. Ghaderi was arrested in Iran in 2016 and sentenced to ten years in prison on espionage allegations following a confession his family claims was coerced.
Mr. Mossaheb, believed to be in his 70s, was detained in Teheran in 2019 and sentenced for “vague national security offenses,” as described by Amnesty International.
They were confined for 2,709 and 1,586 days, respectively.
Olivier Vandecasteele and Assadollah Assadi participated in the previous Belgian-Iranian prisoner swap.
After 455 days in detention, Mr. Vandecasteele was released, according to the Belgian prime minister.
He was sentenced to 40 years in jail and 74 whipping for espionage and other offences in January. He denied any misconduct.
In 2021, Belgium condemned Mr. Assadi to 20 years for terrorism relating to a botched bomb plot in France.
The Iranian foreign minister stated that Mr. Assadi was “illegally detained.”
The liberation of the Austrian-Iranian citizens was announced on Friday following mediation by Oman. The Gulf nation also facilitated the previous exchange of prisoners.
After years of discreet diplomatic efforts, Mr. Schallenberg described the day as “very emotional” in a social media post.
He honored the Austrian embassy in Tehran in addition to his Belgian and Omani counterparts.
