Americans woke to great news this morning. Five prisoners, including a U.S student, held in Iran for 543 days in some cases, have been freed and are on their way home. And that’s a good thing, a very VERY good thing.

U.S. and Iranian officials say Iran is releasing four detained Iranian-Americans in exchange for seven Iranians held or charged in the United States.

The major diplomatic breakthrough was announced Saturday as the implementation of a landmark nuclear deal appeared imminent.
U.S. officials say the four Americans, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, former Marine Amir Hekmati and pastor Saeed Abidini, were to be flown from Iran to Switzerland on a Swiss plane and then brought to a U.S. military base in Landstuhl, Germany, for medical treatment.

Its been a long hard road for those men and for their families.

“This has been an answer to prayer,” Naghmeh said in a statement following her husband’s release. “This is a critical time for me and my family. We look forward to Saeed’s return and want to thank the millions of people who have stood with us in prayer during this most difficult time.”

Iran is not known for treating their prisoners well. In fact, Iran’s brutality is well-known. So one can only imagine the physical and mental conditions Amir, Jason, Pastor Saeed, Nosratollah Khosrav, and Matthew Trevithick have been through. I’m sure none of them will feel truly free until they actually step back onto terra firma here.