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Iran Frees Four U.S. Prisoners in Swap. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired January 16, 2016 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. It's 11:00 on the East Coast. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

NEWSROOM starts right now.

This breaking news: according to Iran's semi-official news agency, Iran has just freed four American prisoners including "Washington Post" journalist, Jason Rezaian and Christian pastor Saeed Abedini.

Let's get right to CNN's Wolf Blitzer in Washington for more on this historic moment -- Wolf.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Thanks very much -- Fred.

This is an historic moment. Major news -- the "Washington Post" now reporting that as of this hour, the Tehran bureau chief, Jason Rezaian, is free and is out of Iranian air space. In addition to Rezaian, Iran is reportedly releasing U.S. Marine veteran Amir Hekmati, the Christian pastor Saeed Abedini and Nosratollah Khosrawi -- we don't know much about this fourth individual.

There is some conflicting reports that the fourth individual may, in fact, not be this individual but may, in fact, be Siamak Namazi, a U.S.-Iranian businessman. We are trying to clarify that as well. The information is still murky.

All of this though being reported by Iran's semi-official FARS news agency. It's reportedly part of a major prisoner swap in which the United States in return will free at least six Iranian-Americans held on charges related to the sanctions against Iran.

Joining us now on the phone is our chief international correspondent, Christiane Amanpour, who has spent a lot of time in Iran over the years. She has worked this story very diligently over these several years as well.

Christiane -- first of all, what are you hearing about this major prisoner swap happening on the day of the Iran nuclear deal implementation?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Well, Wolf just like you, we are hearing these initial reports including the most credible from the "Washington Post" saying that Jason Rezaian is shortly to be outside Iranian air space which means that he's coming out. So let's see what happens.

What I know from the past, having interviewed his mother, his brother, many family members including members of the other three who have been released is that this has been something that is, as we know, is very fraught between the United States and Iran for more than a year -- nearly two years now.

Every time I interviewed an Iranian, the president, the foreign minister, the speaker of the parliament, the human rights commissioner so-called -- each and every time, they said that, you know, perhaps there will be a prisoner swap. Perhaps there will be a moment where these situations can be resolved.

Most particularly, that was the message I was getting right after the Iran nuclear deal was struck. You got the impression that this was all part of, as painful as it is for the family and as outrageous as it is to hold journalists that this was part of a bigger political picture.

And again, remember, the Americans have had not just these people in jail for busting sanctions but also Iran has complained about Iranian journalists being jailed in the United States who they have always wanted out as well.

And each time, in recent months, the Iranians have said, this will be part of a prisoner swap. That was always publicly dismissed by the U.S. and dismissed as a possibility. Everybody constantly saying we want our journalists and our American citizens out.

But it does appear that this is what's in the offing right now and what's happening as we await the final confirmation and the details of this swap land this exchange. And it does happen obviously as we also await a press conference between the Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif and the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini to talk about the official lifting of sanctions, nuclear-related sanctions on Iran.

So this is an important milestone. It is part of this whole new era of agreement and diplomacy over the nuclear track -- Wolf.

BLITZER: It is very historic and it does, indeed, bode potentially very well for the future of U.S.-Iranian relations if in fact, the Iran nuclear deal is fully implemented, sanctions are lifted, trade begins. The U.S. hope, of course, is there could be a new era in U.S.-Iranian relations.

Christiane -- as someone who has spent a lot of time over there and you're reported extensively on this U.S.-Iranian diplomatic effort, do you see legitimately the potential of a major new start?

[11:04:53] AMANPOUR: Well, I think you can already see the results of an open diplomatic track. I mean the nine -- ten U.S. sailors who were taken this week and then immediately released within hours, that was a direct result of the open diplomatic track between the United States and Iran and the new era certainly that the United States hope for and also what I call moderate Iran hopes for. There are two Irans. As you know, in the past, there has always been,

you know, quite a lot of conflict between the more moderate Iranians and the more hard line Iranians. But in this regard, they seem to be playing and marching to the same tune because for them, lifting sanctions is vital.

It is what they have been working for diplomatically for the last ten years and most particularly for the last couple of years intensely since the election of President Hassan Rouhani.

Now, whether there will be a broader, better relations between the United States and Iran that really does remain to be seen. There are many sides opposed to that. Let's not forget, this is just about a nuclear deal and that is where the diplomacy is right now.

These things that are happening around it are directly related to the nuclear deal and to the lifting of sanctions. No side wants to continue holding the other side's prisoners. They want to get this sort of slate clean in this regard.

However, sanctions on Iran's suspected terrorist involvements and other human rights issues continue and those will continue. But the big economic sanctions that have held Iran back for so long are being lifted and we'll see whether American businessmen and women will be able to go there and compete for what's bound to be some very lucrative emerging market.

Already we know that many Europeans are hovering, you know, already sucking up a lot of business contracts. But many in Iran would like to have a much better relationship with the United States including a better business relationship.

BLITZER: That's absolutely true. Christiane Amanpour -- I want you to stand by.

We are following the breaking news: four Americans about to be freed in Iran in exchange for, we believe, six Iranians being held here in the United States.

I want to bring in our CNN international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson -- he's joining us from Vienna; our senior international correspondent, Fred Pleitgen -- he's joining us from Berlin --

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: -- Thomas Erdbrink with the "New York Times" -- he's the Tehran bureau chief; David Rohde is a CNN global affairs analyst; and our national security correspondent Jim Sciutto is joining us on the phone as well.

Nic Robertson, what are you hearing from your vantage point? You have reported extensively on this U.S.-Iranian relationship as well.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: absolutely. Well, Javad Zarif has finished his meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry in the last hour or so. He is expected here at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency to hear the secretary general here read a short statement that will outline Iran's compliance and therefore the move on to the lifting of those economic sanctions that will release tens of billions of dollars into the Iranian economy in the coming weeks and months. That is what's expected here.

However, that said, it's been expected earlier in the day as well. The time frame here has been slipping, has been changing. Now, of course, with the announcement about the prisoner exchange -- that becomes much clearer.

But we saw the huge pressure here last summer during those nuclear talks with the P5 plus 1 -- the United States, its allies and Iran all around the table.

Amir Hekmati, his family came here -- they lobbied, they stood outside the meetings when the Iranian delegation went in. They lobbied for Amir's release. Of course, he was a U.S. Marine for five or six years. They lobbied for his release. They kept his name in the press' attention as we have heard with Jason Rezaian over the past couple of years as well.

So the fact that now, the next big step in these talks, that there is a resolution that appears to this issue, not just good for the families but also clearly relieves some political pressure on Secretary Kerry who took so much heat delivering the nuclear deal without getting their release ahead of time, opens the door potentially to deeper diplomacy or at least strengthening of that particular link.

But when Foreign Minister Zarif gets here, I can tell you Wolf, when he arrives here at the International Atomic Energy Agency headquarters, there is a raft of journalists waiting, standing there, cameras and microphones ready, waiting to ask him that question. Why now? What happened? Tell us the details?

So there is a real air of expectancy here and not for what everyone was expecting earlier in the day -- nuclear comments about Iran's compliance. It is about the prisoner release. That's what everybody is waiting here to hear about now -- Wolf.

[11:10:00] BLITZER: Do we have a timeline, Nic, when that news conference, when that formal announcement might be made? I assume the U.S. Secretary of state, the Iranian foreign minister, representatives of the other countries involved in this nuclear deal, the European Union -- all of them will be there. Is that what you are hearing?

ROBERTSON: You know, Wolf, it again continues to change through the day. What we have heard about two hours ago is that Secretary Kerry wouldn't attend the meeting here with the EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini with the Iranian foreign minister Javid Zarif and with the IAEA secretary general. That it was just going to be a small meeting, none of the other European diplomats who were involved in the talks in the summer, just the IAEA, the Iranian foreign minister and the EU foreign policy chief were the ones that were expected. As for a timeline, again that's something that's been slipping here and changing over the past couple of days. Officials that I have talked to here that I have known for some time have been, you know, telling me personally they have been frustrated because they haven't had a handle on things.

They told me behind the scenes, things are changing, slipping. And clearly, it is a work in progress. I think as we begin to get the details about precisely where Jason Rezaian and the others are, then perhaps that is going to free Zarif and the others to come here to perhaps formalize what we have been expecting, this statement from the IAEA about Iran's compliance, the fact that it has reduced its stockpile of enriched uranium, the fact that it has reduced the number of centrifuges and the fact that it has now taken apart its heavy water reactor in Arak, the fact that it has decommissioned another four-door plant as well that was capable of producing fissile material.

All of these steps, we're expecting to hear announced here by the IAEA. But the timeline, Wolf, I don't think anyone here at the moment has a firm handle on it perhaps other than the Iranian foreign minister, the IAEA chief themselves.

BLITZER: I want you to stand by -- Nic. I want to go back to Christiane Amanpour.

Christiane -- there have been some reports that President Rouhani of Iran would make a statement in addition to the news conference that is going to be taking place in Vienna. That suggests to me that we might be hearing from President Obama as well, who has certainly invested a lot of his own personal effort in getting this breakthrough with U.S.- Iranian relations done.

What are you hearing? You are getting more information -- Christiane.

AMANPOUR: Well, look, certainly in the public sphere, we have already Javad Zarif, the foreign minister having tweeted even before getting to Vienna, quote, "implementation day" which is the official name for this release of sanctions. "Implementation Day. It's now time for all especially Muslim nations to join hands and rid the world of violent extremism. Iran is ready."

Just a few days ago, I interviewed the Director General, Yukiya Amano of the IAEA who will be there at this press conference in a few hours, we expect, or shortly we expect. And who told that their assessment is that Iran has met its obligations under the nuclear deal, under the current time frame and timetable and their recommendation was that sanctions related to this particular phase were ready and should be released as this deal envisions.

So, already, a few days ago, he told me that exclusively on CNN.

So we do expect this to happen. Regarding President Rouhani, it is entirely likely that he will, once this is over, go on to social media or in some way make a statement, perhaps even on the Iranian television, because the Iranian people elected him as he is constantly telling the world and his own country, the Iranian people elected him in 2013, if I remember rightly to end global sanctions on Iran, to stop the sanctions and to allow Iran to grow its economy.

And most importantly, the young people, the overwhelming percentage of people who voted for Rouhani were young people who want to be part of the world and who do not want to be isolated in a hard line extremist Iran anymore.

They were the ones who put Rouhani where he was. He then took that mandate and it is because of Rouhani's election that he was able and Iran was able to take what President Obama said back in 2009, the extended hand of negotiation and diplomacy. So that's what's going on.

BLITZER: Christiane, I know you have excellent sources over there. We are going to get more information from you.

Jim Sciutto, our chief national security correspondent is getting more information as well. Jim -- What are you learning?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Wolf, I've been in touch for a number of months and including today with the families of several of the Americans held in Iran and they are on tenterhooks right now. They have, of course, heard the reports and they are waiting for confirmation you have. And this as well as the U.S. government, awaiting to confirm this.

[11:15:05] They want to see those Americans out of Iranian air space before they confirm but an enormous amount of excitement and relief. I'll tell you it has been a tortured several months. I mean remember Amir Hekmati -- he's been behind bars there, the former marine, for a number of years; Jason Rezaian for more than a year; Saeed Abedini for a number of years.

This has been really difficult for them to handle because they haven't gotten a lot of information along the way. And they have also had a number of false starts, times when it looked like things might go the other way and it hasn't.

So they having been through that -- they want to see it happen before they feel completely comfortable. That's one point.

The other point I would make is this -- Wolf. The administration has said from the beginning of these nuclear talks that the Americans held in Iran are not part of those negotiations. They have said that at every meeting between Secretary Kerry and Javad Zarif and at lower levels, that they always raised the cases of the Americans -- that that is part of a separate negotiation. It was not part of the Iranian nuclear deal.

And it appears that that is true, that there was a separate track. But clearly, those negotiations in effect tied together to some degree, because you are seeing, we expect, that on the same day that the deal is implemented, you have these Americans released in exchange for the Iranians.

One more point. I was just coming off --

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Hold on, Jim; hold on one second, Jim. Hold on one second. Our global affairs correspondent, Elise Labott is now getting official confirmation. What are you learning, Elise?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf -- we just wrapped up a conference call with several senior administration officials who have been dealing with this. They confirm that these four Americans: Jason Rezaian, Amir Hekmati, Saeed Abedini and a fourth American, Nosratollah Khosrawi have been released by the Iranian government. As we've been saying, they are not out of Iranian air space yet. But they have been assured that they will be leaving shortly. And in exchange the U.S. has released seven Iranian nationals -- all of them have been connected to violations of either economic or trade sanctions on Iran. Officials assure us that none of them have been charged or arrested with terrorism. These seven individuals have either been charged with or serving time for violation of economic crime.

But Wolf -- we understand, this is the capping of 14 months of painstaking diplomacy that started parallel to those nuclear talks. The U.S. officials made clear in every meeting that they have with Iranians on those nuclear issues, they would have a separate meeting on the fate of those Americans.

Those talks intensified in recent months as the U.S. wrapped up the nuclear deal with Iran and world powers. And in recent months that flurry of diplomacy led to the deal where we will see those four Americans leaving Iran very shortly.

BLITZER: So basically, this is a simultaneous swap -- Elise. The seven Iranians being held in the United States will be released exactly at the same time as the four Americans will be released from Iran. Is that what your sources are telling you?

LABOTT: We don't understand that they will be leaving the U.S. -- those seven individuals immediately. Their sentences will either be commuted or they will be released from custody. But we do understand that the four Americans will be able to leave Iran shortly.

But some of those Iranians are still in prison right now but the U.S. has also assured the Iranians that they will be freed soon. I also might note that the U.S. had what they call red notices for 14 Iranian individual fugitives, they say, for violation of more serious crimes that they wanted sent to the United States. It was kind of like, you know, a warrant for their arrest if you will.

But officials said that they have lifted those notices. They don't have any expectation that those people would be crossing U.S. territory any time soon. They have assured the Iranians that they will release what they call those red notices in addition to those seven individuals.

BLITZER: The red notices from Interpol, meaning they are no longer going to be wanted by the United States? Is that right?

LABOTT: Correct. That's right -- correct.

BLITZER: And every specifically the seven Iranian prisoners being held in the United States who are about to be freed, are they all dual U.S.-Iranian citizens?

LABOTT: Most of them -- Wolf. I think all, but one of them, are U.S.-Iranian dual nationals. As you see these Americans were also -- most of them were U.S.-Iranians, what the Iranians would consider dual nationals.

[11:19:59] Once an American has any kind of Iranian heritage, they consider those citizens to also be Iranian and they charge them according to Iranian law as if they were Iranian citizens.

I might note that there has been this one U.S. citizen, Siamak Namazi, that has not been released and they are still -- U.S. officials -- still working to make sure that he is released. There is also another individual, a young student that has been detained within the last year. U.S. officials also working to get those cases resolved as soon as they can -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Yes, you make a good point. There are two other -- at least two other Americans, Siamak Namazi, Nizar Zakka (ph), they are being held by the Iranians. They are not part of this deal we're told. And Robert Levinson, the former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran years ago -- the U.S. suspects the Iranians have him -- the Iranians have not conceded that they do have him. He's not part of this deal as well.

The three Americans who are well known -- they are being released. The fourth American, we don't know anything about this individual, Nosratollah Khosrawi -- we're going to get more information. Did any of those sources on that conference call you had with U.S. officials at least tell you who this individual was -- Nosratollah Khosrawi? Today is the first day we heard his name.

LABOTT: They did not want to say anything because of potential privacy act concerns, Wolf. Not a lot is known about this individual. We think that once the four are out, we'll be hearing more from the U.S. about how they were released and this.

But hearing about this deal, Wolf, is really remarkable, about the painstaking diplomacy that went on. The U.S. trying to make clear, Secretary of State John Kerry very involved with his counterpart, Iranian foreign minister Zarif trying to make clear that the U.S. felt that this nuclear deal opened up an opportunity to resolve what the U.S. officials called an irritant in the relations.

This could open up a new chapter, open a new door, this presented an opportunity to resolve the cases both of the Americans and the Iranians. The U.S. would represent that they wanted to get the U.S. officials to release the Iranians and presented a list of Iranian nationals that they would want released. We understand it was much larger than the seven that were released today. The U.S. whittled it down and made sure that none of those people were involved in any terrorist activity or violence and they arrived at that seven. But in addition to Secretary of State John Kerry and Brett McGurk, who is a senior official at the State Department now serving as the administration's envoy to the anti-ISIS coalition, was really pushing this with his Iranian interlocutors in Geneva, a real flurry of intensive meetings over the last few months Wolf, trying to get this deal done.

We have to caution, those Americans not out of the Iranian air space yet but we do understand they should be leaving shortly.

BLITZER: Yes. We do know this has been in the works now for several months behind the scenes.

LABOTT: Fourteen months.

BLITZER: Several high-ranking U.S. officials playing significant roles including the former undersecretary Wendy Sherman, who's no longer in the government. She played a significant role. John Kerry the secretary of state; it went all the way up to the president.

All right. Elise, good reporting. Thank you very much.

We are standing by. We expect at some point to hear from the secretary of state, the Iranian foreign minister, Javad Zarif. They're in Vienna beginning the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal. President Rouhani of Iran -- he's going to make a statement we're told to the Iranian people. We will see if President Obama goes out and address the American people on this historic day as well.

Much more of our special coverage coming up right after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.

We're following major breaking news. Once again we want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world.

Four Iranian-American prisoners released today from Iran in exchange for seven Iranian prisoners being held by the United States.

Let's bring in David Rohde -- he's an investigative reporter for Reuters. Also he was held hostage by the Taliban. He is joining us. As well as CNN international correspondent, Fred Pleitgen who's joining us from Berlin.

Fred -- let me go to you first because you're getting more information. There had been some confusion on the names of the fourth American being released by the Iranians. We know Jason Rezaian the "Washington post" reporter is being freed. Amir Hekmati the former U.S. marine from Michigan -- he's being freed. Saeed Abedini a Christian pastor -- he's being freed. We don't know anything at all about Nosratollah Khosrawi, the fourth American being released. I assume this is the first time you have heard his name. David Rohde, you have studied this closely. I assume it is the first time you have heard his name.

We are about to get the names of the seven Americans being released in the United States by the United States government as well.

What else are you learning -- Fred?

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the FARS news agency, that semi-official news agency, Wolf, in Iran that has reported -- it was one of the first to report that Jason Rezaian and the other three Americans have been released.

They have reported the names of the Iranians that have been released or should be released on the part of the United States naming them as Nader Modanlo (ph), Bakhram Nehanek (ph), Hosrah Akbawi (ph), Arash Guarman (ph), Faridi Nima Golastane (ph) and Ali Zabunchi (ph). Now these are names that probably most people will never have heard before.

But apparently, they are people who were detained in the United States in relations to trying to break the sanctions against the Iranians. Of course, the other major thing that the Iranians have put forward as well -- they say, and this is quoting the FARS news agency again, that they demanded that Interpol stop the prosecution of 14 other Iranian nationals.

That was the other thing we were talking about, about some charges being dropped against 14 Iranians, also in relation to breaking the sanctions against Iran. So this seems to be part of a much wider deal.

And I think one of the things that really is remarkable, is the fact that the Iranian government, especially their foreign minister, Javad Zarif, managed to convince all of the hard line factions and he would have had to do that, that this was the best way forward for the Iranians because we have seen in the past couple of months, especially since the nuclear agreement was signed, that there was that struggle between the moderates and hard liners in Tehran.

We also saw it when it came to the release of the ten U.S. sailors just a couple of days ago where on the one hand you had the Iranian government under Rouhani and Zarif that wanted the release as fast as possible. On the other hand, you have the hard-liners in the revolutionary guard who put out those videos of the sailors being detained who made some statements afterwards saying the sailors were scared when they were detained.

You certainly saw that struggle. For all those sides to come together and make all this happen is certainly something that does appear to be very remarkable -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Very historic day -- the beginning of the implementation of the Iranian nuclear deal that was years in the making. Iran suspends, gives up various portions of its nuclear program. The U.S. and other international powers, they agreed to lift sanctions allowing Iran to enter, if you will, the international economic community in a much more robust level.

David Rohde, you have been looking into this story for a long time as well. What was your reaction when you heard about this prisoner swap today?

[11:30:04] DAVID ROHDES, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, elation for these four families, particularly Jason Rezaian, who was so unjustly held as a journalist. I'm thrilled for them.

As Frederik mentioned, there is a bigger question here. Is this momentum? Will this lead to further cooperation. In terms of lives, that brings up Syria. It is a terrible conflict.

But Iran has been the critical backer of the Syrian government. This is a victory for moderates that these prisoners have been released. Will we see progress, potentially, in Syria peace talks now?

It is a big question. That's, you know, the most pressing issue today in the world in terms of the humanitarian suffering.

BLITZER: I assume, David, you agree. You know Iran well. This is a victory for the more moderate elements in Iran as opposed to the more hardline Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

For example, this is what President Rouhani, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, they have been pushing for this. Apparently, they have the backing of the Ayatollah Khomeini.

RHODES: Yes, he is the critical player in all this. You know, again, the release of the sailors so quickly shows at least the hard liners are obeying. They were in military custody, which is dominated by hard liners. That's a step forward.

I do want to site and I don't want to forget the cases of these three other prisoners still being held, particularly Robert Levinson. There is no new statement from his family. I just checked their website before we went on air.

He worked for 20 years for the American government. He was sent to Iran on a contract with the CIA. The American government has a special duty to him and his family to resolve this case.

In March, it will be nine years he has been missing. He is 67 years old. There are reports he has passed away and as far as I know, the family has no definitive evidence that he's died. He disappeared in Iran. Those three cases should have been part of this deal, I feel, personally.

BLITZER: There was a video that was released a few years ago of him. The U.S. has always suspected, David, that the Iranians know precisely where he is. Even though the Iranians have always insisted they don't know where he is. So there is a bit of a mystery there, right? RHODES: There is. Again, he worked for the U.S. government. Alan Gross was also on a contract for the U.S. government, USA aid in Cuba. He was jailed for three years and released in a deal there.

Another even more tragic case, Warren Weinstein, a contract for the U.S. agency for national development, he was kidnapped in Pakistan, held for years and then he was killed by an American drone in a mistaken drone strike in the tribal areas of Pakistan.

So it's a joyous day. I am thrilled for these four families, the four people who have been released. Big questions about Syria. But still the Levinson family and the other two families, the Maka and the Namazi family deserve answers as well.

BLITZER: Yes, they certainly do. It is an emotional day for so many families right now. People all over the world have been watching what's going on.

Everybody stand by. Much more of the breaking news coming up. Christiane Amanpour is standing by as well. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We are following the breaking news, four American prisoners being held by Iranian. They are about to be freed in exchange for seven Iranian prisoners being held by the United States in addition to some 14 Iranians that the U.S. had put on a watch list by Interpol. They will be removed from that Interpol watch list.

A completed prisoner swap, a historic prisoner swap happening on this day, the day of the implementation of the Iran's nuclear deal, which freezes Iran's nuclear program and eliminates various aspects of the nuclear program at the same time that international sanctions, bringing in billions of dollars to Iran are about to go forward.

Christiane Amanpour is joining us on the phone right now. Our chief international correspondent has been to Iran many times and worked this story for us. Christiane, a very sensitive and delicate moment now in U.S./Iranian relations.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Yes. But in a way where a moment where there has been a breakthrough. At least on this particular issue, the diplomacy that has led to not just nuclear agreement, but shortly we should be hearing that implementation day is in effect.

We are waiting for a press conference with the principals, the Iranian foreign minister and the EU foreign policy chief in Vienna along with the IAEA director.

This macro-diplomatic issue on something as vital as Iran's nuclear program has obviously opened the door to other bits of diplomacy that is very, very necessary and helpful and vital to certainly the United States and other members of the P-5 but also Iran.

So today, we are talking about the joint prisoner swap. That's something that now in retrospect and with all this on the table looks like it was absolutely designed to happen on this day.

We have had confirmation from the United States that Jason Rezaian and three other Iranian-Americans have been freed. We are waiting to hear that they have cleared Iranian air space.

We also have confirmation from the United States who told CNN on background officials that seven Iranians have been released from American custody for sanctions busting practices. So this is a joint swap. That's how it's going to be termed for sure in Iran and presumably also in the United States.

It just shows that in this regard, diplomacy is working. This is a side benefit of implementation day. We have to look to last week or earlier this week. I can't remember what day now.

But when the ten American sailors were taken into custody after their boats wondered into Iranian territorial waters. They were released almost instantly in respect to these similar incidences in the past.

And that was because of direct diplomatic links and phone links between Secretary of State John Kerry and the Iranian foreign minister.

And the bigger picture here is that it is not just moderate President Rouhani and Foreign Minister Zarif, but it is backed this particular diplomacy, this particular nuclear deal, this particular sanctions relief is backed by the more hard-lined Ayatollah Khomeini, who is known as the supreme leader there that controls the more hard line military forces, which are the revolutionary guard forces.

BLITZER: Clearly, on that front, Christiane, the hard-liners may have lost out resulting in the quick release of those ten American sailors. We can assume that President Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif wanted those sailors released very, very quickly especially during this delicate moment in the days leading up to the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal.

What does it say to you, Christiane, that the Ayatollah Khomeini, he apparently is willing to go along with a much more moderate elements in Iran right now?

[11:40:02]AMANPOUR: Well, I think two things here. What struck me as different was that even the so-called hardliners, the revolutionary guard commander's, were speaking in lockstep with the government policy regarding the sailor issue. They accepted the American explanation that this was accidental.

They were not deliberately trespassing. There was no hostile intent. They accepted that and let them go. There has been a lot of controversy in the United States about photos released.

The actual fact is that they were let go and everybody was on the same page. That's different. That hasn't happened in the past. We remember back in 2004, the last time this happened, there were these British sailors, who spent 13 days being paraded, forced confessions, the worse, the worse of the worse. This did not happen this time. Now, in terms of the nuclear deal, Ayatollah Khomeini, empowered President Rouhani and Foreign Ministers Javad Zarif to get the best deal that they could. He kept very quiet throughout most of this.

Yes, there were several sort of interventions from him, but none of which were intended to scuff the deal or undermine his negotiators and were intended not to try to get this deal with Iran.

I remember, you know, many, many people were wondering would he agree to it? This is what Iran has wanted for ten years. They tried it under Ahmadinejad, but they tried it by being more belligerent, by putting more cards on the table, by upping the nuclear capability.

Then comes Hassan Rouhani and he takes the mandate of the Iranian people that have elected him for pretty much one reason only, and that is to better their global situation, to better their economic situation at home and their global standing.

In other words to stop them being pariahs and allow them to be a part of the world and just get a bit normal. That was his mandate and he said it over and over again.

In every interview, this is what my people want. He said it to Iranian state television and every speech he made when he was being undermined by left and right from the hard-liners throughout this negotiating process.

He would get up and he would stare them in the face and challenge them to go against the will of the Iranian people. This took a lot of guts from his perspective. He was backed by the supreme leader who finally at the end when it was a done deal, he took his time.

He finally came out and approved it. So that's the sort of politics that's going on in Iran and what's happening today is sort of, from our perspective, the icing on the cake, something that should have happened a long time ago, an innocent reporter being held should have been released a long time ago.

Now, Jason Rezaian, along with the others is being released. It is absolutely 100 percent connected to implementation day. It is not an accident that it is happening today.

BLITZER: Good point. Christiane Amanpour is working her sources. She is staying with us. We are following breaking news. We are expecting to hear from the Iranian foreign minister that probably the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry as well.

President Rouhani of Iran we are told will address the Iranian people. We will see if the president of the United States makes a statement to the American people as well.

We'll take a quick break, but I want to read to you a statement we just got in from the family of Amir Hekmati, the U.S. Marine, who was a prisoner in Iran for several years from Michigan. The family saying, "We thank everyone for your thoughts during this time. There are still many unknowns. At this point, we are hoping and praying for Amir's long-awaited return." We'll be right back.

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[11:46:53]

BLITZER: We are getting more reaction to the release of these four Americans from Iranian prisons in exchange for the release of seven Iranians from American prisons.

The Americans being released, Jason Rezaian, the "Washington Post" reporter, Amir Hekmati, a former U.S. Marine from Michigan, Saeed Abedini, a Christian pastor held for several years, and a fourth American whose name has surfaced today, Nosratoliah Khoshawi. We don't know anything about this fourth American.

We have just received a statement from the Saeed Abedini family, the Christian pastor. This has been an answer to prayer. The pastor's wife said, "This is a critical time for me and my family. We look forward to Saeed's return and want to thank the millions of people who have stood with us in prayer during this most difficult time."

This statement released from the family of Saeed Abedini through the American Center for Law and Justice, which has represented this family over these many, many years.

I am joined by the international security analyst, Jim Walsh. He is a research associate at MIT joining us from Watertown, Massachusetts right now.

We are told this has been in the works now for months and months and months. It comes on the day of the implementation, Jim, of the Iran nuclear deal. That is certainly not a coincidence.

JIM WALSH, INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: I don't think it is. When you and I talked in the past, Wolf, when we were in the negotiations, my expectation was something was going to get worked out and the day has finally arrived.

I think it is a banner day, a great day for the united states, for our own national security but also for those families and often.

When you go and read the archives about past crises with other presidents, you then discover that there were side conversations going on, a deal would be arrived at and then other things would happen.

These are the other things happening, the other shoes dropping. All for the good. Good for us and all the families involved.

BLITZER: The implementation -- the other part of this deal is the implementation of the Iran nuclear agreement. I take it the International Atomic Energy Agency, the nuclear watchdog has agreed that Iran has so far lived up to its commitments and that as a result, the sanctions are about to be lifted. WALSH: That's right. This is a big day. The agreement takes place. Let's be clear. This is not an agreement that is structured in a way where it's faced in, where they do a little and we do a little and they do a little and we do a little. It is not that at all, Wolf.

What happens is Iran had to fulfill all its nuclear obligations upfront and only then when they were completed and certified by the International Atomic Energy Agency would they get sanctions relief.

And the surprise to most analysts is how speedy, how quickly Iran has moved to implement its side of the bargain. It has poured concrete, destroyed this plutonium reactor, it's shipped out the uranium.

This is the first time in roughly ten years that Iran does not have enough uranium that it could convert and enrich to produce a nuclear weapon. So that's a big advance for U.S. national security.

BLITZER: It's a major development, historic moment right now, and we expect to hear from all the leaders who helped negotiate this deal in Vienna -- excuse me, in Vienna, I think, yes, in Vienna, the secretary of state, John Kerry, the foreign minister, Javad Zarif, their meeting with EU and other international leaders.

[11:50:13]we expect them to make a statement. President Rouhani in Iran to make a statement. I anticipate the president of the United States, we'll be hearing directly from President Obama as well today.

In the scheme of things, this is a major step forward from the issue of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, at least on the short- term, is that right?

WALSH: There's no doubt about it. I mean, absent this agreement, Iran would have an unconstrained nuclear weapons program -- or nuclear program. Instead, it's agreeing to a series of limits.

I think it changes -- it's a huge win for nuclear nonproliferation. It sort of leaves North Korea as the last cranky case that has to be dealt with. But it certainly takes off a major danger that not only we worried about, but our European partners, the Russians, and our allies in the region, and it takes that off the table. That's huge.

BLITZER: What does it say to you there are still other Americans being held in Iran right now that were not part of this deal, at least two, maybe three.

WALSH: Yes, and I was disappointed to see that, but we shouldn't assume that this is the end of those discussions. My guess is, particularly the businessman, the Iranian American businessman, who was recently arrested.

Remember, there's still politics in Iran, and while the supreme leader has signed off on the Iran deal and on the prisoner exchange and the release of the sailors, there are still pockets in Iran of resistance and hardliners, who would like to pick fights and cause problems in the U.S./Iran relationship. But I don't think the door is closed on that. This is one of the great benefits of the agreement, is that we're finally, actually, talking to one another. We were legally prohibited from talking to one another before.

Now we're talking, and so we can move on to the next phase and talk about other things, like the Americans who still are held in Iran, and other issues, whether it's Syria or other topics where we have common interests and where we disagree.

But that's how diplomacy works. You've got to begin by talking and the result we see today.

BLITZER: Jim Walsh, thank you very much, helping us appreciate the history that is unfolding on this day. Let's take a quick break. More of the breaking news right after this.

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[11:55:21]

BLITZER: Welcome back. We're following the breaking news, a major U.S./Iranian prisoner exchange. Four Americans being held by Iran are about to be freed in exchange for seven Iranians being held by the United States. They are about to be freed.

All of this happening on the day the Iran nuclear deal is about to be implemented, freezing, reducing, at least for the time being, Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions against Iran.

Here in the United States, politicians on the campaign trail, they're already responding and they're responding quickly to the prisoner release.

Our CNN politics executive editor, Mark Preston, is monitoring what the candidates are saying. What can you tell us? What are they saying?

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Well, Wolf, certainly, there's been no lack of criticism from the Republican presidential candidates about the Obama administration's diplomacy decisions in the Middle East, specifically this Iran nuclear deal.

Now, there was some criticism this past week, when they all appeared on stage, talking about their vision for the future, but just in the past hour or so, we have heard from three of the Republican presidential candidates on the campaign trail.

Let's hear what Ted Cruz had to say when he heard about the prisoner swap.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES: We don't know the details of the deal that is bringing them home, and then it may well be that there are some very problematic aspects to this deal. But at least this morning, I am giving thanks that Pastor Saeed is coming home. It is far later than it should have been, but we'll be glad to welcome him home with open arms.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PRESTON: Senator Cruz's rival for the Republican presidential nomination, Marco Rubio, was a little bit more biting when he was on the campaign trail today in Iowa. Let's hear what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If these reports are true, of course, we're happy for them and their families, but they should have never been there. And the fact of the matter is, this tells us all we need to know about the Iranian regime.

They take people hostage in order to gain concessions. And the fact they can get away with it with this administration, I think it's created an incentive for more governments to do this around the world.

A prisoner swap with the Cubans -- actually, it wasn't even a prisoner swap with the Cubans. They released something who did nothing wrong with Alan Gross in exchange for people who had committed crimes.

And these people have done nothing wrong. And we'll see what's gained beyond massive sanctions relief. But when you do deals like the Bergdahl release, you're incentivizing people to take Americans hostage and prisoner even if they've done nothing wrong.

But on the specific release, I'm going to wait for that to be public and confirmed before I'll comment on it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PRESTON: And there you had Marco Rubio in Iowa on the campaign trail now. Jeb Bush, just a short time ago in New Hampshire, campaigning, was even more biting in many ways, towards Iran.

He was asked, what would he have done, Wolf, had he been president and in this position. He said that he would have told Iran, if you do not release the prisoners, that there's going to be military action, that that's an act of provocation, an act of war.

Now, so far, Wolf, the only Democrat we've heard from so far is Bernie Sanders and he said he is pleased to hear that the prisoners are being sent home -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Mark Preston, I know you'll continue to monitor the reaction from the campaign trail. We'll take a quick break. Much more of the special coverage right after this.

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