Five Americans detained in Iran are expected to be released this Monday (18), the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.
The publications are related to an agreement between Iran and the United States that provides for the release of $6 billion in Iranian funds blocked in South Korea.
The agreement was brokered by Qatar.
“Five Americans detained in Iran are expected to be released on Monday as part of a broader agreement between the United States and Iran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said.
The US government had argued that the five Americans had been wrongly detained.
According to the agreement, the five Americans who have dual citizenship will leave Tehran for Doha, the capital of Qatar, and from there to the United States.
The agreement also includes the release of five Iranians imprisoned in the United States. Four of them will be released this Monday, but one would remain in American territory.
The two US citizens set to be released include Siamak Namazi, 51, and Emad Sharqi, 59, both businessmen, and Morad Tahbaz, 67, an environmentalist who also has British citizenship. Two other people are under house arrest, but their identities have not been released.
The Iranians to be released are: Mehrdad MoinAnsari, Kambiz AttarKashani, Reza SarhangpourKafrani, Amin Hassanzadeh and Kaveh Afrasiabi. However, Iranian officials said Afrasiabi would remain in the United States.