Freed journalist Jason Rezaian wants to cover US-Iran story again ‘at some point’

The Iranian-American who spent a year and a half in Tehran's Evin prison said that for now, however, he will not speak about his ordeal further and will devote his time to family.

American-Iranian journalist Jason Rezaian and his wife Yeganeh Salehi pose for the media in front of the Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre in Landstuhl, Germany, on January 20, 2016. Michael Probst/APShow more

NEW YORK // Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post journalist freed last week along with four other American prisoners held by Iran, said he wants to get back to covering the “US-Iran story at some point”.

For now, however, he will not speak about his ordeal further and devote his time to family.

“I’ve spent a lot of my life writing about the United States and Iran, and I never imagined – and never wanted – to become a part of the story, particularly at such an extraordinary moment,” Rezaian said.

“I want to get back to writing the US-Iran story at some point in the future ... But I won’t be saying anything further for a while. I hope everyone will respect my need for privacy as I take some time for myself and for my family.”

Rezaian issued a written statement on Wednesday from the US military base in Landstuhl, Germany where he and his wife, mother and brother have been staying while he receives treatment for a number of health issues that deteriorated during his year-and-a-half captivity in Tehran’s Evin prison.

“I’m staying with my family at a very comfortable guesthouse on the base, which has been a great place to begin my recovery,” he said.

The release of the four Americans was negotiated in secret by senior US officials and Iranian security officials in parallel to the talks over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Negotiations to free the prisoners nearly broke down a number of times after beginning in late 2014, but gained significant momentum after the signing of the nuclear accord last July.

At the last minute on Sunday, as a Swiss air force jet waited with Rezaian and two other released Americans on the tarmac, Iranian officials refused to allow Rezaian's wife – who was reporting for The National when she was arrested along with her husband – and mother to leave with him. US secretary of state John Kerry had to call his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, and tell him "Javad, look, it's part of the agreement," Mr Kerry himself said.

Eventually, they were allowed to leave on the flight.

Rezaian, who is from the San Francisco Bay area said that “for now, I want to catch up with what’s been going on in the world, watch a Warriors game or two, and see the Star Wars movie”.