WASHINGTON —聽After spending聽over a year聽in an Iranian聽prison, Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian is on his way home Sunday, and editors at The Washington Post say they are “hugely relieved.”
Family and co-workers of Jason Rezaian are eagerly awaiting his return to the United States聽since his聽detainment in聽July 2014, when Iranian security forces raided his home and seized his wife and him.
“It鈥檚 been 545 days of frustration,”聽Washington Post Executive Editor Marty Baron told 海角社区app. “He was arrested unjustly. He spent months and months in solitary [confinement].”
Rezaian is one of three Americans to fly home after Saturday鈥檚 prisoner swap between Iran and the United States. The exchange was part of a larger deal to relieve sanctions on Iran in return for its progress in pulling back its nuclear program.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very glad that he鈥檚 now regained his freedom,” Baron said. Although Baron said The Washington Post聽wishes Rezaian’s release would have happened sooner, he said they are “very grateful” to the U.S. government for their efforts.
Douglas Jehl, foreign editor of The Washington Post, 聽is awaiting Rezaian’s聽arrival in聽Landstuhl, Germany.
“We expect the plane carrying Jason and other Americans to land here shortly and he will be taken immediately to a military hospital here at Landstuhl military base,” Jehl told 海角社区app.
Rezaian’s health is the first priority, Jehl said.
“He was subjected to some difficult treatment and psychological pressure,” Jehl said. “We know that that鈥檚 taken a toll and we want to be sure that the medical care he鈥檚 given addresses his road to recovery.”
So what鈥檚 next for聽Rezaian? Jehl said the Post doesn’t want to rush anything.
“We really want to keep the focus on Jason and when it鈥檚 time for him to talk, to tell his story, we know he鈥檒l have a good one to tell,” Jehl said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
