Swiss diplomats praised as US detainee released from Iran
Michael White (right) pictured with his mother Joanne.
Keystone
Switzerland has been praised for its part in the freeing of United States citizen Michael White from Iran on Thursday. White was arrested in 2018 and spent the last few weeks of his detention in the Swiss embassy in Tehran.
This content was published on
1 minute
When not covering fintech, cryptocurrencies, blockchain, banks and trade, swissinfo.ch's business correspondent can be found playing cricket on various grounds in Switzerland - including the frozen lake of St Moritz.
US President Donald Trump tweeted that White was being flown home on a Swiss aircraft, adding: “Thank you Switzerland for your great assistance.” Switzerland has represented US interests in Iran since 1980, when Washington broke off relations, and has facilitated prisoner swaps between the two countries in the past.
External Content
….I will never stop working to secure the release of all Americans held hostage overseas! Thank you Switzerland for your great assistance.
White’s mother, Joanne White, issued a statement saying that her 683-day “nightmare is over”. “I owe the Swiss diplomats who have worked so hard to keep Michael safe a debt I can never repay,” the statement read.
According to media reports, US navy veteran White was arrested in 2018 after travelling to the Iranian city of Mashhad and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment in Iran in March 2019 for an alleged public insult of the country’s leader.
He was reportedly diagnosed with cancer, leading to his release from prison to the Swiss embassy in March of this year.
The Swiss foreign ministry declined to comment to the Reuters news agency.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
In Switzerland, New Year brings ‘burka ban’ and pension hikes
This content was published on
More than six years after its launch, the 'Bepicolombo' space probe flew past the planet Mercury for the last time on Wednesday.
Swiss scientists discover unusual zones in Earth’s mantle
This content was published on
Using high-resolution models to study the Earth's mantle, scientists have identified zones of rocks in the lower mantle that are colder, or have a different composition, than surrounding rocks.
Egyptian diplomat’s murder: prosecutor calls for acquittal of defendant’s girlfriend
This content was published on
The Swiss attorney general has called for the girlfriend of the main defendant in the case of the assassination of an Egyptian diplomat in Geneva in 1995 to be acquitted. The woman is charged with complicity.
Low-cost e-tailers Temu and Shein put Swiss retail sector under pressure
This content was published on
Most Swiss retailers are concerned by the stiff competition from China's low-cost online platforms Temu and Shein, according to a survey.
This content was published on
More and more offices are standing empty in Switzerland's major cities. Nevertheless, new office constructions are likely to increase in the future, a study shows.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
US thanks Switzerland for efforts on detainees in Iran
This content was published on
Switzerland has asked Tehran to extend the medical leave of absence from detention of American navy veteran Michael White.
Need a diplomatic messenger? Switzerland is eager to help
This content was published on
Switzerland's “protecting power” mandates have nearly doubled in the last few years. So why is there rising interest in this Swiss good office?
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.