White House secretly offered Iran prisoner negotiations

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Trump administration covertly communicated with Iran in an attempt to negotiate prisoner releases from both sides.

The report states that Washington made at least three offers but that Iran has refused to communicate with US officials concerning the matter, according to those briefed.

This latest twist in the ever strained relationship between the two nations comes shortly after the 30 January reimprisonment of retired UNICEF diplomat Baquer Namazi, 81, the oldest American held in Iran.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement last week: "The Trump administration again calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all unjustly detained and missing United States citizens in Iran, including Baquer Namazi, his son Siamak Namazi, Xiyue Wang and Robert Levinson."

Namazi was released from Evin prison in Tehran due to ill health, only to be returned to the jail two days later.

Jared Genser, the Namazi family’s lawyer, said: "Iran’s decision against the advice of its own doctors to send Baquer Namazi back to Evin Prison is a shocking development and is tantamount to a death sentence that will be imposed quickly."

Namazi and his son stand accused of spying on behalf of the US and were taken into custody during the Obama administration.