U.S. and Iran ready to swap prisoners - media

The United States is expected to deport Iranian professor Sirous Asgari, who was acquitted of stealing trade secrets, once he receives medical clearance to leave, U.S. and Iranian officials said.
Asgari might be part of a rare prisoner swap between foes Iran and the United States. Iranian sources have told Reuters that Tehran is prepared to take part in a swap.

The 59-year-old Asgari, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus around 10 days ago, is under the medical care of U.S. immigration authorities and awaits a health clearance to travel, said Abolfazl Mehrabadi, an Iranian diplomat who is deputy director of Tehran’s interests section at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington.

"We are working and cooperating with the immigration office to deport him as soon as possible to Iran," Reuters cited Mehrabadi as saying.

A spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) declined to provide a specific timeline but confirmed that the agency was expecting to carry out Asgari’s removal from the country once he is medically cleared to travel.

The ICE spokesman, who asked not to be named, confirmed Asgari had tested positive for COVID-19 and was currently in quarantine, receiving care.

Three Iranian officials said a prisoner swap between the two countries is in the works. Michael White, a U.S. navy veteran who has been detained in Iran since 2018, is a likely candidate to be swapped. He was released from prison in mid-March on medical furlough but remains in Iran.