Prisoner Swap and Nuclear Deal: A Historic Day for US-Iranian Relations
On Saturday, January 16, Implementation Day for the Iran Nuclear agreement Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was preceded by a prisoner swap between the United States and Iran, and four Iranian-American hostages were released, including the Washington Post’s Jason Rezaian. In addition, young American researcher, Matt Trevithick, was also released. The release of Trevithick was especially meaningful for USIP’s distinguished scholar, Robin Wright, who is well known for her in-depth coverage of Iran and the region.
Trevithick had been Wright’s research assistant at the Wilson Center where Wright is also a fellow. Wright had obtained an exclusive statement from Trevithick’s parents that was posted on USIP's Iran Primer -- a key source of information about Iran that decision makers often cite as an invaluable resource tool for understanding what’s happening in Iran.
The news media looked to Wright for commentary and analysis based on her decades of reporting on Iran and the region, as well as her unprecedented access to some of Iran’s highest level officials including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Janaury 18
PBS NewsHour
Do breakthroughs mean the U.S. can do business with Iran?
What do major breakthroughs with Iran mean for its relationship with the U.S. and the power dynamics of the Middle East? Judy Woodruff talks to Robin Wright of The New Yorker, former State Department official Ray Takeyh, former CIA officer Reuel Marc Gerecht and Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
January 17
NBC News
Meet The Americans Freed From Iranian Prison
Corky Siemaszko
USA Today
Will Iran deals lead to further cooperation?
Opinionline
NPR Weekend Edition
Latest Implications For Iran Prisoner Exchange
Rachel Martin speaks to foreign affairs analyst Robin Wright about the exchange and the diplomatic gamble.
Wall Street Journal
Deciphering Iran’s Prisoner Swap and Broader Communication
By Haleh Esfandiari
Face the Nation
Iran-U.S. prisoner swap: A “test case” for future diplomatic relations?
CBS News Foreign Affairs Correspondent Margaret Brennan and Wilson Center Fellow Robin Wright offer analysis on the developments involving Iran and the U.S.
January 16
Iran Primer
Fifth American Freed by Iran
On January 16, Iran released American student, writer and researcher Matt Trevithick, who had been held in Evin Prison for 40 days. He was released separately from the four Iranian-Americans that were part of a prisoner swap. The following is a biography of Trevithick with a statement from his family.
New Yorker
Prisoner Swap: Obama’s Secret Second Channel to Iran
By Robin Wright
AP
Massachusetts man detained in Iran for 40 days released
By Amy Anthony, Associated Press
Boston Herald
Hingham family is ‘grateful’ son freed from Tehran prison
By Erin Smith
Boston Globe
Hingham man freed as part of US-Iran prisoner swap
