Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday demanded the release of 19 Iranian prisoners in United States custody, a bold gambit after the Obama administration has been criticized for failing to secure the release of three U.S. prisoners being held in Iran.
“Nineteen Iranians are in custody on charge of alleged violation of U.S.-imposed sanctions,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham.
The statement from Iran came a day after the country ruled out a prisoner exchange, the Jerusalem Post reported. The Islamic Republic has been steadfast in the past that a prisoner exchange was completely off the table.
Negotiating a prisoner exchange would likely be politically fraught for President Obama. He has been criticized for how he secured the release of one American soldier, the alleged deserter Bowe Bergdahl, by trading five prisoners with Taliban affiliations.
On the surface, a swap of 19 Iranian prisoners for 3 American prisoners would involve similar proportions, and would also add an additional layer of complexity and distraction to his efforts to secure final passage of the Iran nuclear agreement in Congress.
Obama is already facing criticism for failing to secure the release of three U.S. prisoners as part of the nuclear agreement. Most Republicans have cited that as a failure.
Some Democrats have said they can’t support the deal for broader reasons, which include fears that Israel may be more threatened by the lifting of the conventional arms embargo against Iran. Democratic presidential candidate Jim Webb, and Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Robert Menendez, D-N.J., have said they oppose the deal.
