News in Brief
Iran, U.S. ‘close’ on prisoner swap: Oman
IFP – Iran and the United States are close to finalizing a deal on the release of American inmates held in Tehran, Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi told Al-Monitor.
Albusaidi said in an interview Wednesday he senses “seriousness” on the part of both Washington and Tehran as their negotiators try to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief.
“I can say they are close,” Albusaidi said of a potential prisoner agreement. “This is probably a question of technicalities.”
“They need to have a framework [and] a timeframe of how this should be orchestrated,” he said of the frozen funds, noting, “I think they’re ironing those things out.”
Albusaidi also stated that there is a “positive atmosphere” surrounding the nuclear issue, adding that Muscat believes the Iranian leadership is serious about reaching an agreement.
“As long as the other side also reciprocates in good faith, they’re willing to do this,” he continued.
Top Saudi diplomat to visit Iran today
PRESS TV – Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud will visit Iran today amid warming relations between the two Middle Eastern powers, official sources said.
Hours after the report, Iran’s government spokesman Ali Bahadori Jahromi said the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Tehran will officially resume activities next Iranian week, which starts on Saturday.
Asked by reporters about the timing of the official re-opening of the Saudi Embassy, the spokesman said, “The Saudi foreign minister will be visiting Iran and will take a set of measures in that regard.”