Tehran City with Alborz Mountains in background.
Sarah Shourd is set to be released from a Tehran prison following a 13-month stay. According to Iranian officials, they are willing to release at least one of the three Americans held on espionage like charges.
In July of 2009 Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd illegally crossed the Iran-Iraq border, according to the Iranian government. The families maintained that the friends were simply hiking and crossed the border unknowingly. Nevertheless, the Iranian government arrested the trio and they have remained in a Tehran prison.
Over the course of the last year, the mothers of the trio have negotiated with the Iranian government as well as the United States government for the release of their children to no avail until now.
Officials of the Iranian government announced on Saturday, Sarah Shourd will be released. They gave no inclination as to the fate of the other two Americans held on the same espionage suspicions. Family members and supporters anticipated a release after the Holy month of Ramadan. However, all the prisoners released after Ramadan had already stood trial unlike Shourd and her friends.
Cindy Hickey, Bauer’s mother admits the news offers hope but was not the news she was hoping to receive. In an interview, Hickey told the Associated Press, “We expected all three to be released, but one release is a positive move and hopefully the other two will follow.”