McClatchy News Service

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran released an American researcher accused of spying in exchange for an Iranian scientist convicted of violating U.S. sanctions, both sides announced on Saturday.

The swap was an unusual diplomatic breakthrough, facilitated by Switzerland, as the U.S. maintains tight sanctions on Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program.

The American, born in China, is Xiyue Wang a history student at Princeton who was arrested in 2016 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for espionage. Wang has denied all charges.

Wang was released in a prisoner swap in Switzerland in exchange for Massoud Soleimani, an Iranian scientist arrested in 2018 and accused of seeking to smuggle biomedical material into Iran, thereby violating US sanctions.

The U.S. Embassy in Bern, Switzerland, shared a photo of Wang, and a senior U.S. administration official said the researcher “appears to be in good health” after undergoing a health check in Germany.

The senior administration official said the U.S. dropped its charges against Soleimani, who was due to appear in court next week, saying the action was not a “concession” to Iran.

“Glad that Professor Massoud Soleimani and Mr Xiyue Wang will be joining their families shortly. Many thanks to all engaged, particularly the Swiss government,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Saturday.

President Donald Trump also praised the swap and Switzerland, which represents U.S. interests in Tehran through the Swiss Embassy.

“After more than three years of being held prisoner in Iran, Xiyue Wang is returning to the United States,” Trump said in a statement. “We will continue to work hard to bring home all our citizens wrongfully held captive overseas.”

Iran has at least four more U.S. citizens in prison, three of whom also have Iranian citizenship. Tehran does not recognize dual nationality.