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Germany thanks Iran for detainee visits

Germany has thanked Iran for arranging a meeting between two detained German nationals and their families, which was held in the northwestern city of Tabriz.

On Tuesday, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle expressed his gratitude to his Iranian counterpart for arranging the visit swiftly.

“The two German citizens have met with their loved ones in Tabriz,” Westerwelle said.

Tehran says it made the visits possible as a humanitarian gesture ahead of the Christian New Year, adding that it now expects Western countries to do the same for Iranian nationals incarcerated in their prisons.

“In line with the humanitarian attitude of the officials of our country, the arrangements were made for the families to leave Tehran for Tabriz, and the meeting took place last night,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said earlier on Tuesday.

He also called on the Western countries that claim to be standard-bearers of human rights to allow such visits to Iranian nationals imprisoned in their countries.

He went on to say that the German detainees will be released if they are found innocent.

The two Germans were arrested in Tabriz in October for conducting an unauthorized interview with the son of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a woman who has been convicted of complicity in the murder of her husband as well as adultery.

The Iranian authorities say the two had entered the country on tourist visas but were working as journalists without accreditation. The two have admitted to violating the law.

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