Iran's judiciary said that no American prisoner had been released or exchanged from its prisons, Iranian state media reported on Thursday, after US President Donald Trump said a US citizen detained during the Biden administration in 2024 had been freed.
The judiciary said checks showed no convicted American prisoner, person accused of spying for the United States matching Trump's description, or any other American detainee had been released from Iranian prisons or exchanged.
Trump thanked Iran for 'gesture of goodwill'
Trump announced the alleged release in a post on Truth Social, claiming that the unnamed detainee was “safely outside of Iran and in good condition.”
He described the potential release as a “gesture of goodwill by Iran,” adding that he appreciated the action.
When probed on the status of American citizens detained in Iran and whether or not that may impact US-Iran peace negotiations during a Thursday press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that “ensuring the return of Americans wrongfully detained or held hostage all over this world remains a priority” for Trump.