Iranian held in Australia for 13 months returns home: State TV

Iranian held in Australia for 13 months returns home: State TV
October 5, 2019, 7:55 am

Tehran, Iran. (AP)

An Iranian student detained in Australia for 13 months on accusations of circumventing US sanctions on military equipment has returned to Tehran after being released, state television’s website reported on Saturday.

Reza Dehbashi, a PhD student at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, had been arrested for “attempting to purchase and transfer advanced American military radar equipment via Dubai to Iran,” the website said.

“Australia’s legal system intended to extradite Mr. Dehbashi to America, but he was eventually released” as Iran’s foreign ministry had “resolved” the issue, it added.

Earlier the same day, the Australian foreign minister said an Australian-British blogger and her finance have been released in Iran after three months of detention.

Marise Payne said the couple, Jolie King and Mark Firkin, have been released following “very sensitive negotiations” and are on their way home in “good health and in good spirits.”

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