Olivier Vandecasteele: Iran releases Belgian aid worker in prisoner swap

Iran has released Belgian assistance idiosyncratic Olivier Vandecasteele, arsenic portion of what Oman's authorities said was a captive swap betwixt the 2 countries.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said Mr Vandecasteele was connected his mode location "after 455 days successful situation successful Tehran successful unbearable conditions".

Oman did not place the Iranian captive freed by Belgium successful exchange.

But Iran has demanded the instrumentality of diplomat Assadollah Assadi, who was jailed by Belgium 2 years ago.

He was sentenced to 20 years successful situation aft being convicted of masterminding an attempted onslaught connected an exiled Iranian absorption group's rally successful France. Iran insisted the crippled was a fabrication.

Mr Vandecasteele was meantime handed a 40-year condemnation successful January aft a tribunal convicted him of espionage. He and Belgium said helium was guiltless and that helium was being detained arbitrarily.