Belgium Prime Minister Alexander DeCroo announced the release of Olivier Vandecasteele, who was arrested for espionage in Iran.
Oman In a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Iranian It was reported that Belgium and Belgium agreed on a mutual prisoner exchange as a result of the negotiations. In this context, the Iranian diplomat imprisoned in Belgium Assadullah Assad and Belgian national sentenced to 40 years in prison for espionage in Iran Olivier VandecasteeleIt was reported that ‘ was brought to Muscat, the capital of Oman, to be released and sent to their countries.
“IT WILL ARRIVE SHORTLY”
Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Emir Abdullahiyan In his post on the subject on his social media account, he said, “The diplomat of our country, Esadullah Assad, who has been imprisoned in Germany and Belgium for more than 2 years, innocent and against international law, is on his way back to his country. It will reach Iran in a short time. I thank the Sultan of Oman for their efforts.”
“HE WILL BE WITH US TODAY”
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, on the other hand, announced in a video message that Olivier Vandecasteele, who was caught and sentenced for spying in Iran, was taken from Iran as a result of negotiations and is on his way back to Belgium. De Croo said, “As I speak to you, Belgian Olivier Vandecasteele is on his way to Belgium. If everything goes as planned, he will be with us tonight, he is free at last. The plane that brought him to Belgium took off from Oman shortly after 12:30, to Belgium at 7:00 pm. It will be around,” he said.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Esadullah Assadi, diplomat at the Iranian Embassy in Vienna; In 2018, he was arrested within the borders of Germany as a result of a joint operation by the security forces of France, Germany and Belgium. Assad, who was tried by a Belgian court, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2021 after being accused of planning a terrorist bomb attack against an Iranian opposition group in Paris.
On the other hand, Belgian citizen Olivier Vandecasteele was appointed by the Tehran administration after his visit to Iran in February 2022. “espionage, money laundering and currency smuggling” He was tried and sentenced to 40 years in prison.