Two U.S. hikers freed by Iran arrive in NYC
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Xinhua, September 26, 2011
Two U.S. hikers freed by Iran arrived in New York City on Sunday, ending a political ordeal between two countries lasting for more than two years.
Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer, who have been imprisoned in Iran since July 2009 on accusations of spying, were released from a Tehran prison on Wednesday under a one-million-dollar bail.
At a news conference after they landed in New York, the two men read prepared statements in turn without taking any questions from reporters.
"From the very start, the only reason we have been held hostage is because we are American," Fattal said, adding that "Iran has always tied our case to its political disputes with the U.S."
"However, the irony is that Sarah, Josh and I oppose U.S. policies towards Iran which perpetuate this hostility," said Bauer.
The two, along with another U.S. national Sarah Shourd, were arrested in Iran on July 31, 2009 for illegally entering Iran's western border and were later charged with espionage. The U.S. government considered the charges totally unfounded.
The female hiker Sarah Shourd was released by Tehran in September 2010 on a bail of 500,000 dollars due to her health situation.
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