Navy veteran Michael White is on his way back to the United States after he was released from Iranian imprisonment.
His mother, Joanne White, confirmed her son’s release in a Thursday statement. U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook traveled to Switzerland to accompany White back to the U.S.
“For the past 683 days my son, Michael, has been held hostage in Iran by the IRGC and I have been living a nightmare. I am blessed to announce that the nightmare is over, and my son is safely on his way home,” White said of her son’s release.
President Trump hailed White’s release Thursday morning and thanked Switzerland for helping with the transition.
“I am to happy announce that Navy Veteran, Michael White, who has been detained by Iran for 683 days, is on a Swiss plane that just left Iranian Airspace. We expect him to be home with his family in America very soon,” Trump said. “I will never stop working to secure the release of all Americans held hostage overseas! Thank you Switzerland for your great assistance.”
….I will never stop working to secure the release of all Americans held hostage overseas! Thank you Switzerland for your great assistance.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
Switzerland is often used by the U.S. as a back channel between the two countries since diplomatic relations were cut in 1980.
White traveled to Iran in July 2018 to visit his Iranian girlfriend and was detained by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sometime later. The IRGC acknowledged his arrest in Mashhad in January of last year.
He was detained and sentenced to at least a decade in prison on charges of insulting Iranian leader Ali Khamenei and posting a private photograph on social media, according to CBS News.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo released a statement regarding White’s release.
“We are bringing another American home,” Pompeo said. “He is now on his way back to the United States, where we look forward to reuniting him with his family. I commend U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook for negotiating Mr. White’s release with the Iranians. I thank the Swiss government and the work of our diplomats for facilitating this successful diplomacy.”
“While we are pleased that Iran was constructive in this matter, there is more work to do,” he continued. “The United States will not rest until we bring every American detained in Iran and around the world back home to their loved ones. The United States continues to call for the release of U.S. citizens Baquer Namazi, Siamak Namazi, and Morad Tahbaz, who have been wrongfully detained in Iran for far too long, and to provide a full accounting of the fate of Robert Levinson.”
Before White’s release, the U.S. returned imprisoned Iranian scientist Sirous Asgari to the Islamic Republic. Iran’s Foreign Ministry denied Asgari’s release was related to a prisoner swap. Despite the timing, U.S. officials have said that White’s release was not a direct result of Asgari’s deportation, according to the Associated Press.
White’s release is tied to a separate deal involving an Iranian American. The details of the deal, under which the defendant is expected to stay in the U.S., will reportedly be released later on Thursday.
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson had previously met with the Iranian foreign minister about White’s case. He said in a Thursday statement that the “release should have and could have been done earlier, but I am glad and relieved that Mike is on his way home to get treated.”
White, who is recovering from COVID-19, was given a medical furlough in March when he was handed over to the Swiss Embassy in Tehran.
