Iran Outmaneuvers Obama Again With Lopsided Prisoner Swap

The Iranian government has released at least three American prisoners in a highly choreographed swap for seven held by the the United States.

The exchange was meant to mark the implementation of the lifting of sanctions against the regime following the nuclear deal reached last July – a deal worth as much as $150 billion, plus or minus a nuclear weapon to the Persian nation that is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism.

The Americans released include Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian; Saeed Abedini, a Christian imprisoned for his faith, and Amir Hekmati, a former US Marine accused of espionage.

For its part, the Obama administration is freeing seven prisoners, included one, Nima Golestaneh, guilty of hacking the computers of US defense companies.

According to the Washington Post, the swap was suggested by the Iranians as a sign of “goodwill” from the US – international legitimacy for their nuclear program, the lifting of sanctions, the freeing of over a hundred billion dollars and the constant groveling of the Great Satan before them apparently not being enough of a sign of goodwill for their tastes.

The Post indicates that Iran originally asked for more than just a seven-to-three exchange, even asking for terrorists in US custody to be released, but fortunately the Obama Administration stood its ground and only gave them most of what they wanted:

The official said that the “Iranians wanted a goodwill gesture” as part of the release, and that led to the exchange. The list the Iranians submitted to U.S. authorities was “whittled down” to exclude any crimes related to violence or terrorism, said the official, one of several who spoke on condition of anonymity under administration ground rules..

The White House hailed the lopsided release as yet another success of the president’s far-sighted diplomacy with the terrorist nation that continues to wage proxy wars against our allies, test ballistic missiles in violation of international law and just this week humiliated American sailors in violation of the Geneva Convention.