Iran releases Kylie-Moore Gilbert for three Iranians held abroad

British Australian academic Kylie-Moore Gilbert was handed over to Australia on Wednesday after more than two years in an Iranian jail,  in a swap for three unnamed Iranians held abroad. According to Tehran’s state media, she was “scouted by Israel intelligence agencies who trained her for a mission in Iran” and was arrested when trying to obtain “economic and military information.” She was given a 10-year sentence for espionage.

Kylie-Moore declared: “I came to Iran as a friend and with friendly intentions and depart Iran with those sentiments not only still intact but strengthened.” Australian FM Marise Payne stressed her government’s consistent rejections of the grounds for her arrest.

Celebrations were shown in a separate state broadcast for the three Iranians returning home, describing them as “traders” who were arrested “outside the country on false charges.”