Three Europeans detained in Iran have been released and received in Belgium

They are free. Belgium welcomed on the night of Friday to Saturday June 3 three European nationals who were detained in Iran, a Dane and two Iranian-Austrians. This triple release via the Sultanate of Oman was obtained – like that of Olivier Vandecasteele on May 26 – after Belgium agreed to deliver an Iranian diplomat convicted of terrorism to Tehran.

The three men, one of whom spent seven years in detention in Iran, were welcomed by Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, accompanied by Danish and Austrian diplomats. These releases were obtained following an operation prepared in the greatest discretion for several days.

Arrested on the sidelines of a rally “for women’s rights”

The head of Danish diplomacy Lars Lokke Rasmussen welcomed this operation, praising in particular “the immense efforts” from Belgium. But he preferred to conceal the identity of his national. According to Belgium, the latter was arrested in November 2022 “on the sidelines of rallies for women’s rights”.

Austria, on the other hand, has identified its released prisoners: Kamran Ghaderi, an Iranian-Austrian businessman arrested in January 2016, and Massud Mossaheb, who spent nearly four years in detention before being released in November 2022 for reasons medical. However, he was previously prohibited from leaving Iran. Suffering, this septuagenarian got out of the plane at Melsbroek, leaning on crutches.

Westerners imprisoned in Iran are generally portrayed by their supporters as innocent people used by Tehran as leverage and bargaining chip. Nowadaysbetween twenty and thirty EU nationals are detained in Iran.