Middle East, Us-iran Relations | featured news

An American woman released from Iran after more than 13 months in custody began her journey back to the United States on Saturday after asking her supporters to "extend your prayers" to her fiance and another American man who remain in Tehran accused of spying.

Sarah E. Shourd, who had been held on espionage charges for more than a year, has left prison, her lawyer said.

An Iranian prosecutor said that authorities will release the woman on $500,000 bail because of health problems.

Iran has canceled the planned release of a detained American woman because the legal process has not been completed, Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi was quoted as saying on Friday.

Iran says it will release one of the three American hikers detained for more than a year on Saturday, a day after the conclusion of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, according to an official at the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance.

Investigations into spying allegations against three American hikers detained in Iran will be completed soon, Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi said in a news report on Saturday.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday the September 11, 2001 attacks were exaggerated in a fresh broadside at the United States just days after President Barack Obama voiced willingness to talk to Iran.

Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he is willing to meet US President Barack Obama for "face-to-face" talks in front of the media.

The mothers of three Americans detained in Iran for a year have put their own careers on hold and turned to what's become a full-time job for them: attempting to secure their children's release.

Iran will not propose to Washington the release of three U.S. detainees in return for an Iranian nuclear scientist it says was kidnapped by the CIA, the foreign minister's spokesman said on Tuesday.