Iran frees 4 prisoners, including journalist Jason Rezaian

Supporters protest Iran's imprisonment of Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian
(Image credit: Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

Iran is freeing four Iranian-American dual-national prisoners Saturday, including Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, U.S. and Iranian officials confirmed to The Associated Press. In 2015, Rezaian was convicted of espionage in a controversial closed-door trial.

The release comes in exchange for the U.S. releasing seven Iranians being charged or held, and ahead of the lifting of international sanctions as part of Iran's nuclear deal with the U.S. and other world powers. The freed prisoners are being flown to Switzerland and then Germany for medical treatment.

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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.