WASHINGTON (AFP) — The White House on Monday called for the swift release of three Americans held in Iran who are facing charges of spying, insisting they were innocent of the allegations.
The three who were arrested while hiking in July on the border with Iraq "are innocent young people, who should be released by the Iranian government. Their release should be expedited," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.
Tehran's chief prosecutor Abbas Jaffari Doulatabadi said earlier Monday that investigations were continuing against the three, Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27, the official IRNA news agency reported.
A statement on their case is to be made in the near future.
"The three Americans arrested near the border of Iran and Iraq are facing charges of spying and the inquiry is continuing," he said.
