The spokesman for Iran's mission to the United Nations referring to the acquittal of Sirus Asgari, an Iranian scientist imprisoned by the US government said: "The United States has no grounds to continue detaining the Iranian professor."

Iran PressAmerica: Alireza Miryousefi, spokesman for Iran's press office at the United Nations, on Thursday May 7 in response to a New York Times claim about negotiations over the exchange of American and Iranian prisoners on his twitter said: "At this point in time, any speculation on an exchange is premature. Professor Asgari has already been acquitted of all charges and the US has no grounds to continue his incarceration.."

The New York Times allegedly claimed that Iran and the United States were negotiating over the exchange of two prisoners despite tensions between the two countries.

Miryousfi reiterated though : The Islamic Republic of Iran has always stated that it is ready to discuss the comprehensive exchange of Iranians who have been mistakenly imprisoned by the United States or at the behest of the United States, with Americans currently imprisoned in Iran and convicted of violating Iran's national security.

 Sirous Asgari , a 59-year-old Iranian scientist, was imprisoned in November 2019 on the so-called charges of stealing trade secrets related to academic activities at Ohio State University, but the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not allow him to return to Iran. 

The Guardian recently reported that  Sirous Asgari had developed the coronavirus infection due to imprisonment conditions.

To date, the media's efforts, as well as those of some human rights organizations, to obtain more information about the situation of this Iranian professor have failed as a result of the US government's sabotage.

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