Iran releases Austrian citizen after 2022 arrest

Iranian authorities have released Austrian citizen Christian Weber, jailed in Iran amid the 2022 protests, and handed over to Austria's ambassador in Tehran.

The news was announced by Iran's judiciary news agency, Mizan, on Tuesday, reporting that Weber was released in a gesture of “Islamic mercy” without specifying the crime for which he was imprisoned.

But, according to Austrian media, citing Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in December of last year, Weber was "abducted and detained" on August 25, 2022, shortly after crossing into Iran, and taken to a state police prison in Urumia in northern Iran.

Initial allegations of espionage, reportedly based on information from the Somali secret service, were later proven false.

Despite the dropped charges, Weber remained in custody for nearly one and a half years, including time at Maku prison in northern Iran. Reports indicated he was subsequently charged with carrying dangerous weapons.

The conditions of Weber’s detention had drawn international criticism against Iran which continues its policy of diplomatic hostage taking. A petition signed by over 700 individuals in Austria advocating for his release detailed the harsh circumstances Weber endured including being confined in a room with 48 other prisoners, without a mattress for the first six months, and suffering from persistent back pain.

It is unknown how many foreign citizens or dual-nationals are imprisoned in Iran. Last year, five US citizens were released in return for the release of $6 billion in Iranian frozen funds, leading to major criticism of the Biden administration for emboldening the Islamic Republic.

Weber's release comes on the heels of the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death on September 16.

Nationwide protests erupted following the death of the 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman, who died in custody after allegedly violating Iran's Islamic dress code.

Months of protests followed, marking one of the most significant challenges to the Islamic Republic's clerical leadership in decades.