He wanted to use the deal to release Iranian citizens being held in US prisons for violating sanctions against Iran. Washington faced a moral dilemma, as it feared a successful prisoner exchange could put US citizens living abroad at risk. Following basketballer Griner's release, speaker for the US State Department Ned Price left no doubt the US would also bring Whelan home as part of a prisoner exchange. The current prisoner exchange deal between Tehran and Washington isn't without controversy, even in the US. However, in conjunction with the prisoner deal, the US government has also imposed new sanctions on Iran.

Source: The Telegraph September 21, 2023 10:21 UTC