Middle East Focus: Ominous Hints from Tehran…….

Arabia Deserta

Ominous Hints from Tehran…….

“Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, has called on the United States to release several Iranians it is holding in jail after Iran freed an American accused of spying. "We are hopeful the Iranians there will be released and reunited with their families,'' Ahmadinejad said in an interview broadcast on state television on Friday. "From a moral viewpoint, there is an expectation that the US takes a step ... There is an expectation in public opinion to release some of them." Iran had previously suggested that Sarah Shourd, who was released on Tuesday after more than 13 months in prison, and two other Americans who were arrested with her could be exchanged for Iranian prisoners held in the US. In December, Iran released a list of 11 Iranians it says are in US custody……”

This sounds ominous for the remaining American hikers still captive in Tehran. Some of the people named by Tehran were arrested in the West for arms and weapons-related technology deals. A couple of them have disputes over what exactly happened, over why they were accorded government hospitality in the West. I still have no idea what happened in the case of the university scientist who was sending conflicting videos from Arizona. That was before the new truncated Arizona anti-immigrant law forced him to return to Iran.
Cheers
mhg

m.h.ghuloum@gmail.com