Hostage exchange or Strategic manoeuvre?
Two of the five Iranians who were freed had been convicted of non-violent crimes while three others were awaiting trial and had not been convicted, two senior Biden administration officials said.
Who are they?
As part of the deal, the Biden administration has also agreed to grant clemency to five unnamed Iranians imprisoned in the United States and charged with crimes ranging from sanctions violations to theft. (Only two of the released Iranians opted to return to Iran, reportedly.)
The Deal?
In exchange for their release, the Biden administration issued a waiver to facilitate the transfer of $6 billion in Iranian oil revenues held in restricted accounts in South Korea. These funds have now been transferred to a bank inQatar, to be disbursed for strictly humanitarian purposes.
Timing is everything.