Iran is ready for a full prisoner exchange with the United States, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei said, adding that Washington has yet to respond to Iran’s call on a prisoner swap.
"We are ready to exchange Iranian and American prisoners and we are prepared to discuss this issue but Americans have not responded yet," Rabiei said, according to Khabaronline news website.
"We are worried about the safety and health of Iranians in jail … We hold America responsible for Iranians’ safety amid the new coronavirus outbreak," Reuters cited the spokesman as saying.
"There is no need for a third country to mediate between Iran and America for the prisoner exchange,” Rabiei added.
In a rare act of cooperation between two longtime foes, the U.S. and Iran swapped prisoners in 2019 – American graduate student Xiyue Wang, detained for three years on spying charges, and imprisoned Iranian stem-cell researcher Massoud Soleimani, accused of sanction violations.
The U.S. is set 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.
