Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif addresses the Council on Foreign Relations (File)
Dubai:
Iran is ready for a full prisoner swap with the United States, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a virtual address to the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.
Relations between Tehran and Washington have deteriorated sharply since 2018, when US President Donald Trump ended the 2015 Iran nuclear deal with the great powers and reimposed sanctions on Tehran that crippled its economy.
Washington has long demanded that Iran release American citizens, including Iranian-American father and son Baquer and Siamak Namazi.
Navy veteran Michael White, detained since 2018, returned home in June as part of a deal whereby the United States allowed Iranian-American doctor Majid Taheri to visit Iran. White said he contracted COVID-19 while in detention.
In December 2018, Washington and Tehran worked on a prisoner swap in which Iran freed US citizen Xiyue Wang, held for three years on espionage charges, and the US released Iranian Massoud Soleimani, accused of violation. US sanctions against Iran. .
Tehran denies detaining people for political reasons and has mostly accused its foreign prisoners of spying.
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