Iran announced that the two detained German nationals in Iran have met with their families in Tabriz.
The spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, Ramin Mehmnparast told reporters in a press conference that last night the two German journalists met with their kin at Tabriz prison. He maintained that the German foreign minister had contacted Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi several times and finally their request for this visit was accepted.
The family reportedly left for Tabriz after meeting with Ali Akbar Salehi. Mehmanparast implied that the Iranian ambassador in Germany was not summoned and that the foreign media had not reflected the facts as they had occurred.
He claimed that the issue of this visit was under discussion in Iran and the visit of the Iranian ambassador with the German foreign ministry was in continuation of these discussions.
Yesterday German foreign minister summoned the Iranian ambassador to Germany after the family of the two detained German journalists in Iran found further obstacles in meeting with their kin.
Iran has reportedly promised to allow the prisoners a temporary leave in order to spend Christmas with their family at German embassy.
The two German journalists were arrested in September while attempting to interview Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, son of the Iranian woman sentenced to stoning.
Iranian authorities primarily mentioned the charge of espionage in their case since they had not acquired a press visa and were in Iran on a tourist visa.
After requests for their release by German Chancellor, Angela Merkel and several other German political figures, Iranian judiciary has accepted to drop espionage charges but insist on processing their visa violation charges while keeping them in prison.
