CAIRO: The Oman government is putting their efforts toward assisting in brokering a deal with the Iranian government that would see two American hikers imprisoned released, news reports have said. It isn't too surprising, however, as Oman paid half a million dollars in 2010 to help free another American Sarah Shourd, who with her fiance Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal were arrested in 2009 after crossing into Iran via Iraq. Bauer and Fattal have since been jailed over the crossing, and the Iranian government accuses them of being spies. Shourd was set free in September 2010 on alleged health concerns after she posted $500,000 bail. Last week, there were some signs of hope that the two others would be freed in the near future after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told NBC News that the two hikers would be freed this week on bail. However, after media outlets began to report the change in policy, Iran's Judiciary reversed Ahmadinejad's claims, saying they would not be released. On Thursday, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani held talks with the Iranian top officials on the release of Bauer and Fattal. Allegedly, the Iranians have agreed to hand over two American citizens to the Swiss embassy in Tehran, which represents the US in Iran, by late this week, he added. It is unclear if that is going to happen, but Omani sources appear confident it can be finalized. BM
