UPDATED: 1:53 p.m. ET
Iran has freed Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian and three others in a prisoner swap deal, Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency said Saturday, as diplomats prepare to implement a historic nuclear agreement.
A U.S. official confirmed the release of the four prisoners to CNN, and said they were being flown to Switzerland from Iran.
Senior diplomats are expected to announce the lifting of sanctions on Iran later Saturday as the nuclear agreement is implemented. The deal made with six world powers will take effect when the International Atomic Energy Agency certifies that Iran has met its commitments to curtail its nuclear energy program.
"Based on an approval of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) and the general interests of the Islamic Republic, four Iranian prisoners with dual-nationality were freed today within the framework of a prisoner swap deal," the office of Tehran prosecutor said.
Rezaian was jailed on espionage and other charges. He was released along with former Marine Amir Hekmati, pastor Saeed Abedini and Nosratollah Khosrawi, who were jailed in Iran on "various charges," Fars reported. Some news outlets initially reported that businessman Siamak Namazi had been released but Fars said he remains in prison because his charges are financial, not political.
According to Fars, under the swap deal the U.S. is due to free seven Iranian-Americans held for sanctions-related charges and ask Interpol to stop prosecution of 14 other Iranian nationals.
Advocates and colleagues of Rezaian had used the #FreeJason hashtag to call for his release. Reactions were positive but also cautious as people waited for more pictures and confirmation of his freedom.
Wonderful news! Iran releases Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian https://t.co/ClIh31KOig
— PEN International (@pen_int) January 16, 2016
I genuinely hope that Washington Post reporter @jrezaian is among those freed in IRAN! https://t.co/qEFR7syPtv — Mohamed Fahmy (@MFFahmy11) January 16, 2016
Yes!!! #freejason means something entirely different now. https://t.co/nFu3JU14Ea
— Sarah Sampsel (@sarahsampsel) January 16, 2016
The Radio Television Digital News Association and Foundation (RTDNA/F) issued a statement on Rezaian's release.
"We are grateful to hear that Rezaian is being released and will soon be coming home.
"Journalists often face dangers when covering important issues around the world, including imprisonment. We are glad to know that the tireless efforts of the Washington Post and the State Department have been successful in obtaining Rezaian's release, and the release of other Americans being held by the Iranian government."
"We sincerely hope that Rezaian will be now able to join us in March to receive his award personally. His courage and dedication to a free press are an example to all of us."
The 39-year-old Rezaian, who holds Iranian and American citizenship, had been imprisoned in Iran for more than a year. He, along with two other Americans of Iranian descent, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with espionage, collaboration with hostile governments, gathering classified information and disseminating propaganda against Iran.
He was held in isolation and convicted in October 2015 in a trial that was "closed to the world," according to Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron.
Rezaian's wife Yeganeh Salehi, a correspondent for the United Arab Emirates-based newspaper The National, was also arrested at the time but she and two others were released later, according to Fars.
Two of the others reportedly released along with Rezaian are:
Former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati of Flint, Michigan. He was detained in August 2011 on espionage charges after going to Iran to visit family. He was sentenced to death in 2012 but a retrial in 2014 sentenced him to 10 years in prison.
Pastor Saeed Abedini of Boise, Idaho. In September 2012 he was detained for compromising national security, presumably because of preaching Christianity, and in 2013 he was sentenced to eight years in prison.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
UPDATED: 10:30 a.m. ET, with background and reactions
10:55 a.m., with info on others
11:25 a.m., with U.S. confirmation
1:53 p.m., with RTDNA/F comment