US-born journalist Roxana Saberi flew to Europe early on Friday, days after being released from a Tehran jail after being acquitted on charges of spying for the United States, one of her defence lawyers said.
”I confirm that she left Iran after midnight. She will go to America through Europe,” Abdolsamad Khorramshahi told Reuters.
United States-based National Public Radio reported on its website, monitored in London, that the 32-year-old freelance reporter had flown to Austria with her parents. Saberi, who has both US and Iranian citizenship, has worked for NPR and the BBC.
She was arrested in January for working in Iran after her press credentials had expired. She was later accused of spying, found guilty and jailed for eight years but had her sentence cut to two years, suspended, on appeal, and released from prison.
”She was well but upset that she could not return to Iran soon to do reporting,” Khorramshahi added.
Saberi’s other defence lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, said on Tuesday the change in the verdict was due to a different interpretation of the relevant law, not to political considerations.
But her release on Monday removed a possible hindrance to US President Barack Obama’s attempts to improve US relations with the Islamic Republic after three decades of mutual distrust.
Obama welcomed Saberi’s release as a ”humanitarian gesture”.
The two countries are in dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme, which the West fears is aimed at making arms. Iran says it is to generate electricity.
The United States had said the charges were baseless and demanded Saberi’s immediate release. Tehran does not recognise dual nationality and told Washington not to interfere.
Obama has offered Iran a fresh start in relations, though Iran says Washington must first show real policy change.
Analysts and diplomats have said Saberi’s arrest should not be seen as a sign that Iran is rejecting Obama’s overture, but say her case and her release may have been influenced by it.
Some saw the arrest as a warning to foreign media ahead of Iran’s June presidential election, while others say it could have been a bid by hardliners to obstruct any thaw in US-Iran ties or to use her as a ”bargaining chip.” – Reuters