Iran said on Saturday it would adopt “a positive approach” to the case of three US hikers jailed in the Islamic republic if Washington released Iranian nationals held in American prisons.
Tehran says 11 Iranians are being held in US jails, including a nuclear scientist who went missing in Saudi Arabia last year.
“The United States must release these people who have been jailed,” foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said, quoted by the Mehr news agency.
“If they act without political intentions, with humanitarian values and within a legal framework towards our citizens … we will consider this as a positive approach and naturally will follow up the case of American citizens with a positive approach,” Mehmanparast said.
Iran is holding three American hikers — Sarah Shourd, Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer — who reportedly strayed into the country from across the border with Iraq on July 31.
On Tuesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a television interview that talks were on between Washington and Tehran for a possible prisoner swap. But US officials denied any such negotiations.
