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Iran released a British-Australian academic whom it had accused of spying in exchange for three Iranians being held abroad, according to the country’s state television.
Kylie Moore-Gilbert had gone on a hunger strike and spent long periods in solitary confinement after being sentenced to 10 years behind bars.
She vehemently denied the charges and maintained her innocence.
Official Iranian television showed a video of her in a gray hijab, sitting in what appeared to be a meeting room at one of Tehran’s airports, with a blue mask under her chin.
There were also images of three men with Iranian flags on their shoulders, described as “economic activists”, who were received by Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Dr. Moore-Gilbert was arrested in September 2018 after attending an academic conference in the city of Qom, about 90 miles south of the capital.
She had recently been transferred to Qarchak Prison, east of Tehran, a desert facility known for its poor conditions and overcrowding, and her health was said to be declining.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has also been carried out in Iran
The apparent release of Dr. Moore-Gilbert showed there could be “light at the end of the tunnel” for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, her husband Richard said.
Ms. Zaghari-Ratcliffe has also been imprisoned in Iran, but was temporarily released in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr. Ratcliffe said the news about Ms. Moore-Gilbert was a “nice shock and Nazanin was very happy when I told him about it.”
He added: “I think probably on a selfish level there is always kind of a bittersweet wondering when it will be our turn. Of course there is no queue, these things happen in a random order.
“The reality is that whenever there is movement, there is hope.
“I don’t know what it means to us. It’s definitely a good thing for Kylie and it’s definitely a good thing for all of us that deals are being made.”
Amnesty International UK said the release of Dr Moore-Gilbert was a “huge relief” and called on the government to pressure the Iranian authorities to release other detainees.
Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s MP Tulip Siddiq added: “Now let’s make this a Christmas reality for Nazanin too.”
