美国国家公共电台 NPR 伊朗与美国交换在押人员（在线收听）

An American graduate student imprisoned in Iran on espionage charges has been freed, just as an Iranian scientist was granted early release from a U.S. prison. Iran's foreign minister tweeted about the exchange. President Trump has confirmed the release by Iran of American student Xiyue Wang. NPR's Peter Kenyon is following the story from Istanbul. Peter, thanks so much for being with us.

PETER KENYON, BYLINE: Hi, Scott.

SIMON: And what do we know about this prisoner exchange?

KENYON: Well, the first word came from a Mohammad Javad Zarif. That's the Iranian foreign minister. And he wrote that this Chinese American scholar Xiyue Wang, who'd been arrested in 2016, will be joining his family soon. That's what Zarif wrote. He also posted about the Iranian scientist Masoud Soleimani. He'd been arrested in Chicago last year. Zarif thanked everyone involved, especially the Swiss government for acting on behalf of the U.S., as it frequently does in matters involving Iran. President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also weighed in, announcing Wang's coming return to the United States. There'd been some speculation for some time that a prisoner exchange might be possible. And that heated up in recent days. And now it appears to have transpired.

SIMON: Tell us about this U.S. grad student. He's been detained on charges that the U.S. says were groundless.

KENYON: Exactly. Xiyue Wang was a graduate student at Princeton. He specialized in Eurasian history. He's married, has a wife and a young son. His wife released a statement saying the family is complete once again, expressing their excitement at the prospect of seeing Wang again. He had been in Iran doing language studies and research for a doctoral dissertation when he was detained. He was charged with espionage — two counts — sentenced to 10 years in Iran's Evin Prison. U.S. officials have always said the charges were bogus, that Wang never engaged in any spying activities. They also denied Iran's assertion that Wang had been sent to Iran by the government.

SIMON: And what about the Iranian scientist who can go home?

KENYON: Yes. Forty-nine-year-old Dr. Masoud Soleimani — he was working in Iran. He left on sabbatical, came to the U.S. and was arrested in Chicago on charges of violating trade sanctions against Iran. He was imprisoned. He was apparently nearing release under a plea agreement when this exchange was just announced. Foreign Minister Zarif posted photos of himself with Soleimani flying back to Iran.

SIMON: Obviously, relations between the United States and Iran have been a bit of — tense point for some time now. Does this prisoner exchange signal something larger, some kind of rapprochement between the two countries?

KENYON: I would be a bit cautious to predict anything like that. There's no question this prisoner swap stands in huge contrast to the generally negative bilateral relations U.S. and Iran have had. Ever since the U.S. pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal, reimposed sanctions, the government of Hassan Rouhani in Iran has been under heavy attack from hard-liners, accused him of making a bad deal and letting Iran down. There are also other people, we should note — other Americans being held — businessman Siamak Namazi, his octogenarian father Baquer, who was imprisoned when he went to Iran to try and get his son released. But, you know, this exchange does show that Iran and the Trump administration can agree on something. And in this case, I'd say the families of Xiyue Wang and Masoud Soleimani are the primary beneficiaries.

SIMON: NPR's Peter Kenyon in Istanbul, thanks so much for being with us.

KENYON: Thanks, Scott.

因被控从事间谍活动而遭伊朗关押的美国研究生王夕越获释，与此同时，一名伊朗科学家从美国监狱提前释放。伊朗外交部长在推特上提到了这一交换行动。特朗普总统证实，伊朗释放了美国学生王夕越。NPR新闻的彼得·肯杨正在伊斯坦布尔关注这起事件。彼得，非常谢谢你和我们连线。

彼得·肯杨连线：你好，斯科特。

西蒙：我们对这次在押人员交换行动有何了解？

肯杨：穆罕默德·贾威德·扎里夫最先就这一行动发声。他是伊朗外交部长。他写道：2016年被捕的美籍华裔学者王夕越很快就将和家人团聚。这是扎里夫所写的内容。他还提到了伊朗科学家马苏德·苏莱马尼。他于去年在芝加哥被捕。扎里夫感谢了所有参与方，尤其是代表美国斡旋的瑞士政府，在涉及伊朗事务方面，瑞士经常代表美国行动。特朗普总统和国务卿迈克·蓬佩奥也就此表态，宣布王夕越即将回到美国。一段时间以来，外界一直猜测美国和伊朗可能会进行在押人员交换。最近几天，这种猜测不断升温。现在，似乎交换行动已经发生了。

西蒙：请介绍一下这名美国研究生。美国认为他被控的罪名毫无根据。

肯杨：没错。王夕越是普林斯顿大学的研究生。他主修欧亚历史。王夕越已婚，有妻子和一个年幼的儿子。他的妻子发表声明表示，“我们的家庭再次完整了”，表达了他们对能再次见到王夕越的兴奋之情。王夕越在伊朗进行语言研究和博士论文调研时被捕。他被控两项间谍罪名，被判在伊朗埃文监狱服刑10年。美国官员坚称，这些罪名是伪造的，王夕越从未参与过任何间谍活动。对于伊朗称王夕越是被美国政府派往伊朗的这一说法，他们也予以了否认。

西蒙：对获准回家的那名伊朗科学家，我们了解到了什么信息？

肯杨：好。马苏德·苏莱马尼今年49岁，在伊朗工作。他在休假期间从伊朗来到美国，因违反美国对伊朗的贸易制裁而在芝加哥被捕。随后被关进监狱。在这一交换行动公布时，依据认罪协议，他即将获释。伊朗外长扎里夫上传了自已与苏莱马尼共同飞回伊朗的照片。

西蒙：显然，美国与伊朗之间的关系一直有些紧张。那在押人员交换行动是否有更深的含义，是否表明两国已经和解？

肯杨：在预测这种事情时，我通常会谨慎行事。毫无疑问，这一交换在押人员行动与美国和伊朗的负面双边关系形成鲜明对比。自美国退出2015年签署的伊朗核协议并重启制裁以来，哈桑·鲁哈尼领导的伊朗政府就一直饱受强硬派的猛烈抨击，后者指责他签署了糟糕的协议，令伊朗大失所望。我们应该指出的是，还有美国公民被关押在伊朗，比如美国商人西亚马克·纳马齐，他80多岁的父亲巴克尔前往伊朗试图营救他时也被关进监狱。不过，这场交换行动的确表明，伊朗和特朗普政府可以在某些事情上达成一致。这样看来，我认为王夕越和苏莱马尼的家人是主要受益者。

西蒙：以上是NPR新闻的彼得·肯杨从伊斯坦布尔带来的报道，非常谢谢你。

肯杨：谢谢，斯科特。