Biden Administration Takes Major Step Towards Release of Five American Citizens Detained in Iran with Sanctions Waiver

Washington — The Biden administration has taken a major step towards the release of five American citizens detained in Iran by issuing a blanket waiver for international banks to transfer $6 billion in frozen Iranian money from South Korea to Qatar without fear of U.S. sanctions. The move is part of a larger agreement between the U.S. and Iran that will also see the release of five Iranian citizens held in the United States.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed off on the sanctions waivers late last week, a month after U.S. and Iranian officials said an agreement in principle was in place. The waiver is seen as a major step towards the eventual release of the five American citizens, who have been held in Iran for years.

The family of one of the prisoners, Xiyue Wang, an American graduate student, said they were “incredibly nervous about what happens next”. Wang has been held in Iran since 2016, when he was arrested on espionage charges. His sister, Hua Qu, said she was “cautiously optimistic” about the news of the sanctions waiver.

“We are hopeful that this is a sign that the Iranian government is serious about releasing Xiyue,” Qu said. “We are cautiously optimistic that this is a sign that the Iranian government is serious about releasing Xiyue.”

The Biden administration has not yet commented on the status of the five American prisoners, but the waiver is seen as a positive step towards their eventual release. The U.S. and Iran have been in talks for months, and the waiver is seen as a sign that the two countries are making progress towards a resolution.