Plane With US Detainees Reportedly Released Under US-Iran Prisoner Swap Departs From Tehran

Iranian flag - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 18.09.2023
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - On Monday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that the prisoner exchange between Tehran and Washington would take place on September 18.
A Qatari plane with US detainees released as part of the US-Iran prisoner swap has departed from Iran, AFP reported on Monday, citing a source.
Iran's Press TV broadcaster, in turn, reported that two of the five Iranian detainees freed under the deal had landed in Doha.
Earlier in the day, US media reported, citing sources, that Qatar had informed the United States and Iran that $6 billion in unfrozen Iranian funds have been transferred to bank accounts in Doha in connection to a prisoner swap deal between the two countries.
"Both parties have been notified by Qatar that all $6 billion has been transferred from Switzerland to bank accounts in Qatar," the source told US media.
Iran plans to purchase medical supplies from Qatar using the unfrozen funds, a diplomatic source in Qatar told Sputnik.
"The funds returned after the agreement with the United States will mainly be used to purchase medicines and medical equipment needed by Iran, which will be purchased in Qatar," the source said.
Last week, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that Tehran would spend $6 billion in funds to be released following the prisoner exchange agreement with the United States wherever the country considers necessary.
Earlier that week, a US State Department spokesperson confirmed to Sputnik that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had signed a waiver advancing the prisoner exchange deal with Iran that lifted a hold on $6 billion of Iranian funds, which would be moved from bank accounts in South Korea to Qatar.
The US authorities also said that Tehran would be able to spend the fund on humanitarian needs only, while the US would control the spending process.
On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani announced that Tehran and Washington will hold a five-to-five prisoner swap on Monday, with two Iranian citizens expected to return to their homeland after their release.
"According to the latest news I have, the prisoner swap between Iran and the US will take place today and five Iranian prisoners will be released from the American prisons, while five American prisoners will be returned to the US," Kanaani was quoted as saying by Iranian news agency ISNA.
Two Iranian prisoners will return to their country, two others would stay in the United States and one would reunite with their family in a third country, Kanaani said.
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