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Iran ‘releases female US hiker Sarah Shourd’

interns Contributor
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Iran has released an American woman held for more than a year on suspicion of spying, reports from Iran say.

Sarah Shourd was detained near Iran’s border with Iraq on 31 July 2009, along with Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal.

The Tehran chief prosecutor said at the weekend that Ms Shourd would be freed when $500,000 (£325,000) bail was paid, and could leave the country.

Ms Shourd’s lawyer said she had been released and was heading to the Swiss embassy in Tehran, Reuters reported.

The families of the three hikers – who are all Americans – say they crossed the poorly-demarcated border by mistake while hiking in the mountainous northern Iraqi region of Khormal.

Officials in Tehran said they had “suspicious aims” and that they intended to put them on trial for espionage.

Full story: Iran ‘releases female US hiker Sarah Shourd’ – BBC News .

WATCH: SARAH SHOURD RELEASED FROM IRAN PRISON