Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Freed Iranians Never Boarded Flight Out of US
ABC News ^ | 01/19/2016 | JUSTIN FISHEL and MIKE LEVINE

Posted on 01/19/2016 11:16:00 AM PST by GIdget2004

It turns out that so-called "prisoner swap" with Iran didn’t involve much of a swap. When given the chance, none of the Iranians freed from U.S. custody chose to return to Iran, according to U.S. officials familiar with the negotiations.

As the United States and Iran secretly negotiated the terms of a deal that culminated with a "prisoner swap" this weekend, both parties agreed they would fly their prisoners to Geneva, Switzerland, for the exchange – a neutral country that for years has worked as a diplomatic mediator between the two adversaries.

After an hours-long and nerve-wracking delay, a Swiss plane took off Sunday from a military base in Tehran just before 7 a.m. ET carrying three long-held American prisoners: journalist Jason Rezaian, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati and Christian pastor Saeed Abedini.

That same day, a plane took off from somewhere on the East Coast of the United States, carrying the seven Iranian-Americans freed from U.S. custody who wanted to return to Iran (or so everyone believed). But not one of them boarded the plane, according to the U.S. officials familiar with the process. The plane left anyway because it was designated to bring the freed Americans on to their second destination in Landstuhl, Germany.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hostages; iran; nothanks; prisonerhostageswap; swap
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

1 posted on 01/19/2016 11:16:00 AM PST by GIdget2004
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: GIdget2004

Jihad on US soil.


2 posted on 01/19/2016 11:16:26 AM PST by wastedyears (uchikudake - toki michite - ikiru tame - tokihanate)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GIdget2004

No wonder the Iranians are pissed


3 posted on 01/19/2016 11:17:23 AM PST by AppyPappy (If you really want to irritate someone, point out something obvious they are trying hard to ignore.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wastedyears

The chair is against the wall.


4 posted on 01/19/2016 11:17:31 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (I don't know what Claire Wolfe is thinking but I know what I am thinking.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: wastedyears; Pride in the USA; Stillwaters
Jihad on US soil.

This is disturbing news.

5 posted on 01/19/2016 11:18:50 AM PST by lonevoice (Life is short. Make fun of it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: GIdget2004

Wait, they would rather remain in jail in the US than return to Iran?


6 posted on 01/19/2016 11:24:18 AM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Liberals are the Taliban of America, trying to tear down any symbol that they don't like.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lonevoice

Why wasn’t a boot up their butts making them get on?


7 posted on 01/19/2016 11:27:15 AM PST by enraged
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: GIdget2004

Nothing shocks me anymore. That’s why I carry a gun. LOL!


8 posted on 01/19/2016 11:28:46 AM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GIdget2004

Note to President Trump, watch all of these guys, and if they screw up again, throw the book at them!


9 posted on 01/19/2016 11:37:32 AM PST by vette6387
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GIdget2004

What fairy boy has done with these exchanges has made Americans more in danger and will be for years to come.


10 posted on 01/19/2016 11:42:43 AM PST by manc (Marriage =1 man + 1 woman,when they say marriage equality then they should support polygamy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GIdget2004

Why would they want to go back to Iran when they can live in a free country like the United States?


11 posted on 01/19/2016 11:42:52 AM PST by reg45 (Barack 0bama: Implementing class warfare by having no class.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lonevoice

Very bad news indeed.


12 posted on 01/19/2016 11:43:04 AM PST by Pride in the USA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: GIdget2004
cripes...they were given clemency. This is a buried gem in the aticle. It isn't 7 but 21.

In addition to the clemency for the seven individuals, the U.S. government agreed to abandon efforts to prosecute 14 Iranians.
13 posted on 01/19/2016 11:43:09 AM PST by stylin19a
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Blood of Tyrants

That’s entirely plausible.

Many people assume that the average Iranian is the ‘death to America’ type. This isn’t true. I don’t know what the percentages are, but a significant number identify more with being Persian as opposed to Arab & long for a secular, Western- or more Western, way of life. These generations were born into oppression. They didn’t choose it.

They are treated brutally in Iran & it’s likely that these former prisoners will be treated brutally if they return to Iran. They’re very, very smart people. There’s no doubt they know, that because of 0bama- & especially because of Valerie Jarrett, they would NOT be safe trying to seek asylum here, at this time. If they tried that, they might likely fear a 1 way ticket to Evin prison or worse.

0bama didn’t lift a finger to help them in 2009. The Green Movement didn’t die. It was quashed. This administration had no more concern for their human rights than it does for the regime getting nuclear weapons.

Of course, it could go either way. But if these were supporters of the mullahs/ IRGC, logically, they’d have wanted to get home as soon as they could.

just my .02


14 posted on 01/19/2016 11:43:44 AM PST by KGeorge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ...

Obama Pardons 21 Iranians Convicted of Violating Sanctions
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3385391/posts


15 posted on 01/19/2016 11:43:51 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Here's to the day the forensics people scrape what's left of Putin off the ceiling of his limo.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: GIdget2004
none of the Iranians freed from U.S. custody chose to return to Iran,

They're probably celebrating in Vegas right now........

16 posted on 01/19/2016 11:45:55 AM PST by Hot Tabasco (Dear Santa: Please find a home for every homeless and unwanted cat and dog that is suffering)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GIdget2004

Are these freed iranians free to walk the streets of America, or do they return to their cells?


17 posted on 01/19/2016 11:57:33 AM PST by 1_Rain_Drop
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wastedyears

I think they’d rather be in jail her than ‘free’ in Iran...


18 posted on 01/19/2016 12:01:06 PM PST by GOPJ (Dem debate hosted by Google, NBC & non-convicted members of Congressional Black Caucus-Greenfield)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: enraged
Why wasn’t a boot up their butts making them get on?

Something stinks here if they are Iranian citizens an immigration detainer order would have been in their prison file.

They were all convicted of removable offences. I want to know more.

19 posted on 01/19/2016 12:01:29 PM PST by usurper (Liberals GET OFF MY LAWN)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: GIdget2004

Did you know that one of the prisoners released in Iran stayed in Iran?


20 posted on 01/19/2016 12:26:42 PM PST by ColdOne (I miss my poochie... Tasha 2000~3/14/11 HillaryForPrison2016)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-22 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson