Will be good to see the spies come home.
Iran says American hikers may be released in daysBy the CNN Wire Staff
September 13, 2011
Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- The families of two American hikers held in Iran for more than two years say they are "overjoyed" at reports they may be released within days.
Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer will be released from Tehran's Evin prison after a $500,000 bail is paid for each of them, their attorney, Masoud Shafiee, said Tuesday. Bauer and Fattal could be released "in a couple of days," Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told NBC in an interview that aired Tuesday.
"While we do not have further details at this time, we are overjoyed by the positive news reports from Iran," their families said in a statement released through a spokeswoman.
"Shane and Josh's freedom means more to us than anything, and it's a huge relief to read that they are going to be released. We're grateful to everyone who has supported us and looking forward to our reunion with Shane and Josh. We hope to say more when they are finally back in our arms."
Shafiee said the hikers' families are attempting to raise the bail money for the two men, who were seized on July 31, 2009, while hiking in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq.
Fattal, Bauer and a third hiker, Sarah Shourd, were arrested after apparently straying across an unmarked border between Iraq and Iran. Iranian authorities arrested them, claiming they were spies and had entered the country illegally. Shourd, who is now Bauer's fiancee, was released last year for medical reasons, although authorities said her case remains open.
Ahmadinejad told NBC that Fattal and Bauer are enjoying "very good conditions here in prison ... it's like staying in a hotel."
"They illegally crossed our borders, and they were arrested by the border guards," he said. "We tried last year to free one of the three persons, and we are also trying to make arrangements for the freedom of the other two. I think these two persons will be freed in a couple of days."
In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. government was "encouraged" by the Iranian statements, "But I'm not going to comment further than that.
"We obviously hope that we will see a positive outcome from what appears to be a decision by the government," Clinton said.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said American officials were trying to get more details through Switzerland, which represents U.S. interests in Tehran.
Other senior State Department officials said they are proceeding cautiously, as Iran has made similar claims in the past. However, one official said, "It seems to be true."
Ahmadinejad suggested in the interview that there is a need for the United States to release Iranians held in its jails.
"It's not only about two people in Iran ... I think the problem is in the approach of the American politicians and leaders," Ahmadinejad told NBC. The United States, he said, is "so hostile against us."
"OK, these two persons will be released," he said. "Is it going to be over? We do it, for example, in (a) humanitarian gesture. Is it going to solve the problems? I hope so."
Fattal and Bauer have an appeal of their sentence pending. But the Tehran prosecutor's office has said it had "compelling evidence" that the three were cooperating with U.S. intelligence agencies, Iran's state-run Press TV reported.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/09/13/iran.hikers.release/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
