DUBAI: Two American hikers imprisoned in Iran for the past two years on espionage charges after they had illegally crossed over the unmarked border between Iraq and Iran are on their way home. The two paid the $500,000 bail asked by Tehran and are now en route back to the United States. According to Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal's lawyer, in comments published by CBS News, the paperwork for their release was agreed and signed off on, which paved the way for their release. Masoud Shafiei said the bail document was signed Wednesday by a third judge, whose vacation had delayed the process for the two hikers. Earlier in the day, Shafiei said the last remaining hurdle – a “minor” technical hurdle with the transfer of $1 million in bail money to the correct account in Tehran – was resolved, and he was on his way to Tehran's notorious Evin prison, where Fattal and Bauer have been held, to pick them up. A report on Iran's state-run television network quoted officials as saying “the two American men are free to go back to America.” BM
