Iran conditionally frees Dubai-based US citizen Siamak Namazi after seven years

Father of Tehran's longest-held US prisoner also released while Venezuela frees seven Americans in a prisoner swap

Baquer and Siamak Namazi have been detained by Iran. Photo: Namazi family

An Iranian-American businessman who was jailed seven years ago during a visit to Tehran was temporarily released from prison, the UN said on Saturday, while his father will be allowed to leave the country after being detained there since 2016.

The move came the same day the US announced that Venezuela had freed seven jailed Americans, including five oil executives, in exchange for Washington's release of two relatives of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, US officials said.

Siamak Namazi, who became the longest-held US-Iranian detained in Iran, lived in Dubai before he was sentenced in October 2015. He received a 10-year prison term for “colluding with foreign countries”.

Citing his lawyer in the US, Reuters reported that Mr Namazi is still barred from leaving Iran and is only on a one-week furlough from Tehran’s Evin prison.

A UN statement did not say whether Mr Namazi is able to leave the country or give any details about the conditions of his release.

Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi, who was based in Dubai, is pictured here in San Francisco in 2006. Handout via Reuters

Mr Namazi’s 85-year-old father, Baquer Namazi, a longtime Unicef worker who was arrested in February 2016 after authorities lured him to Iran on the false promise that he would meet his son, will be allowed to leave the country for medical care, the UN statement said.

Secretary General Antonio Guterres “is grateful that, following his appeals to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, our former colleague Baquer Namazi has been permitted to leave Iran for medical treatment abroad”, the UN said.

The announcement comes as indirect talks between Iran and the US over how to revive the 2015 nuclear deal have stalled and as Tehran’s leadership faces mounting pressure at home while anti-government protests continue to grip the country amid a violent crackdown by security forces.

Both Iranian and US officials have said recently that they had discussed prisoner exchanges through interlocutors but have always denied they are directly linked to talks over renewing the 2015 nuclear deal that the US abandoned in 2018.

Restoring that accord would release sanctions on Iran’s struggling economy in exchange for limits on its nuclear activity.

Economic malaise and a confluence of other grievances related to civil liberties have converged during current protests in Iran, now in their third week.

Demonstrators chant slogans during the March of Solidarity for Iran in Washington. AFP

Another group of demonstrators at the march. AFP

A protest in support of Iranian women in Barcelona. Reuters

Iranian citizens and locals joined in the Barcelona protest. Reuters

People attend a demonstration in solidarity with Mahsa Amini and other Iranian women in Castello Square, Turin. EPA

A person places a candle during the demonstration in Turin. EPA

A protester holds a pre-Islamic Revolution Iranian flag during a demonstration in Brussels in support of the Iranians fighting for their freedom. AFP

A protester wearing a top with a logo that reads 'No to an Islamic state" as she takes part in a rally in support of the Iranian people, in Brussels. AFP

People wave the Shah-era Iranian flag during a protest in Paris. AFP

A woman shows her true colours in the protest against the Iranian government, in Paris. AFP

A woman holds a flag, as people protest against the Iranian regime outside Iran's embassy in central London. Reuters

Supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) carry placards and wave party flags in Beirut, during a protest against the death of Ms Amini. EPA

People demonstrate against the Iranian government outside the Houses of Parliament in London following the death of Amini. Reuters

A mural in Paris depicts women cutting their hair to show support for Iranian protesters. AP

People take part in a rally against the Iranian government in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday. AP

Protesters take to the streets of Tehran. EPA

Iranian protesters run after clashing with with police. EPA

A protester shaves their head outside the Houses of Parliament in London. Reuters

Iranians living in Athens hold a protest in solidarity. AFP

People take part in a rally in The Hague. AFP

A woman cuts her hair during a demonstration in Santiago, Chile, by feminist groups and Iranian migrants in support of Iranian women following the death of Amini. AFP

Members of feminist groups and Iranian migrants during the protests in Santiago. AFP

Iranian activists shout slogans during a protest against the government in Tehran, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. EPA

A protester holds a painted portrait of Mahsa Amini in Berlin, Germany. EPA

A protester shows red paint on her face, resembling blood splatters and bloody handprints next to the national Iranian emblem, during a rally in Berlin. EPA

Iranian protesters shout slogan during a protest in Istanbul, Turkey. EPA

A woman holds a sign during a protest against the Iranian government, in front of the country's embassy in Madrid, Spain. The protests were triggered by the death of a young Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody. Reuters

A woman cuts her hair during the protest in front of the Iranian embassy in Madrid. Reuters

Israelis show their support for women in Iran as they hold up placards of Amini during a protest in Jerusalem. EPA

Amini, 22, was arrested in Tehran on September 13, 2022, by the morality police. She fell into a coma while in police custody and was declared dead on September 16. EPA

People walk by graffiti in support of the protests triggered by Amini's death, in Jerusalem. EPA

A protest in Nantes, western France, after the death of Amini in Iranian police custody. AFP

Women gather for a demonstration in Barcelona, Spain. AFP

Demonstrators in Nantes. Amini's death has sparked a global protest movement. AFP

Women protest outside the town hall in in Montpellier, southern France. AFP

A woman at a protest in Catalunya Square, Barcelona. Reuters

Campaigners and football fans protest at a Champions League match between Porto and Bayer Leverkusen at the Dragao stadium in Portugal. EPA

People hold placards during a demonstration in solidarity with the Iranian people near the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. EPA

An Iranian woman living in Turkey with 'Freedom' written on her forehead takes part in a protest near the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. Reuters

In Barcelona, protesters take part in a demonstration in support of Iranian women. AFP

A Lebanese activist takes part in a protest in Beirut, triggered by the death of Amini, 22. AP

A Turkish protester takes off her head scarf while giving a performance in Instanbul during a protest against Iran over Amini's death. Getty

A woman in Istanbul cuts her hair during a protest against Iran. Getty

A Lebanese activist holds a poster depicting Amini during a protest in Beirut organised by feminist groups in support of women protesters in Iran. EPA

Demonstrators in Los Angeles, California, hold the Iranian flag during a protest against the government in Tehran. AFP

Demonstrators hold placards in Mexico City during a protest against Iran. Reuters

People demonstrate in Montreal, Canada, during a protest triggered by Amini's death. AFP

Iranian Americans participate in a rally in central Los Angeles, in solidarity with women in Iran. AP

Demonstrators march during a protest in Los Angeles, California. AFP

A woman with the colours of the Iranian flag painted on her face participates in a rally as thousands demonstrate in support of Iranian women in Los Angeles. EPA

Australians protest over Amini's death in Melbourne. EPA

Police block protesters from entering Iran's embassy in Oslo, Norway. EPA

Demonstrators in front of the European headquarters of the UN in Geneva, Switzerland, during a rally against Iran. EPA

A candlelight vigil for Amini in Los Angeles. AFP

Afghan women hold placards as they take part in a protest in front of the Iranian embassy in Kabul. AFP

Protestors take part in a rally outside the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. AFP

An Iranian woman shows a lock of hair she cut off during a protest outside the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. EPA

Demonstrators outside the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. Getty

Iranian Americans rally on Capitol Hill in Washington to show support for protesters in Iran. AFP

Protesters on Capitol Hill hold a sign condemning the crackdown by Tehran. AFP

German demonstrators gather in Berlin after the death of Amini in Iranian police custody. AP

A protester cries during a rally in Berlin. Reuters

A demonstration in Madrid, Spain. Thousands have gathered in cities across Europe to support protests in Iran. AP

Demonstrators gather outside the Iranian embassy in Madrid. Reuters

People take part in a protest in Lausanne, Switzerland. EPA

Protesters hold signs featuring images of Amini during the protest in the western Swiss city. EPA

Demonstrators in front of the Iranian embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. EPA

An activist outside the Iranian embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a sign that reads 'Justice for Mahsa Amini'. AFP

A demonstration against violence in Iran is held in Quito, Ecuador. The Iranian community in Ecuador protested outside the Iranian embassy. EPA

Protesters at a demonstration outside the Iranian embassy in Quito, Ecuador. EPA

In a tweet on Saturday, Iran’s state-run Nour News said “intense negotiations” mediated by a Middle Eastern country had led to the “simultaneous release” of Iranian and US prisoners and that billions of dollars of Iranian funds that are frozen overseas because of sanctions would soon be released as part of the talks.

The state news agency Irna said Tehran was expecting the release of $7bn held in South Korea.

"With the finalisation of negotiations between Iran and the United States to release the prisoners of both countries, $7 billion of Iran's blocked resources will be released," it said.

The White House denied this. “Reports from Iranian sources of a transfer of funds related to the release of Baquer Namazi and furlough of Siamak Namazi are categorically false,” National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said on Sunday.

Earlier, US State Department spokesman Ned Price thanked Washington’s “allies and partners who have worked tirelessly to help the Namazis”, including the UN secretary general, Switzerland, Qatar, Oman and the UK.

“Our efforts are far from over.  We remain committed and determined to securing the freedom of all Americans unjustly detained in Iran and elsewhere,” Mr Price said In a statement welcoming the release of the two men.

US wins release of Venezuela-held Americans in swap With Maduro

On Saturday, President Joe Biden said Venezuela had freed seven Americans in a swap involving two members of Venezuelan leader Mr Maduro’s family.

The swap included executives of Citgo Petroleum held for years, in addition to US Marine veteran Matthew Heath and another US citizen named Osman Khan, the officials said. They were exchanged for two of Mr Maduro's wife's nephews, who had been convicted on drug charges, the officials said.

Mr Biden said in a statement that the “wrongfully detained” Americans would soon be reunited with their relatives.

“Today, we celebrate that seven families will be whole once more. To all the families who are still suffering and separated from their loved ones who are wrongfully detained — know that we remain dedicated to securing their release,” Mr Biden said.

The prisoner transfer, which one US official said took place at an airport in an unspecified third country, followed months of secretive talks with Mr Maduro's socialist government, which is under strict US sanctions, including on the Opec nation's energy sector.

It came at a time when Washington is under growing pressure to do more to secure freedom for dozens of Americans held abroad. Much of the Biden administration's focus has been on Russia's detention of WNBA star Brittney Griner and another American, Paul Whelan.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said he welcomed the liberation of the seven “wrongfully detained” US nationals in Venezuela.

Agencies contributed to this report.