Iranians held in US for sanctions violations released
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WASHINGTON - Several Iranian-Americans held in US prisons after being charged or convicted for sanctions violations have been released, their lawyers told Reuters on Sunday, as part of a deal between Iran and the United States that also won the release of four Americans imprisoned in Iran.
The United States said on Saturday that it had granted clemency to seven Iranians being held in US jails or awaiting trial, mostly on sanctions-related charges. Six of the men are Iranian-American dual citizens.
Bahram Mechanic and Khosrow Afghahi were released from a Houston jail early on Sunday. Tooraj Faridi, also granted a pardon in connection with the case against Mechanic and Afghahi, was already out on bail.
Arash Ghahreman, convicted in 2015 of trying to export US-built marine navigation equipment to Iran, was also released, his attorney Ellis Johnston said on Sunday.
A lawyer for Ali Saboonchi, convicted in 2014 for export violations, said his client had also been released as of Sunday.
