Tehran:
An American journalist jailed in Iran will be freed Monday and can leave the country immediately, her lawyer said Monday after an appeals court suspended her eight-year prison sentence.
Roxana Saberi, a 32-year-old dual American-Iranian national, was convicted last month of spying for the US and sentenced to eight years in prison.
Her case caused tension between the United States and Iran at a time with President Barack Obama had said he wanted to engage Washington's longtime adversary in a dialogue. The US has called the charges against her "baseless" and demanded she be freed.
Iran's judiciary announced that the appeals court, which heard her case on Sunday, had reduced her jail term to a suspended two-year sentence, said one of her lawyers, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi.
Her lawyers were heading to Evin prison to meet Saberi, said her other lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht. She has been held there since January.
"She is entitled to leave Iran immediately," he said.
Saberi moved to Iran six years ago and had worked as a freelance journalist for several organizations including National Public Radio and the British Broadcasting Corp.
The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders had welcomed the decision to suspend Saberi's sentence and looked forward to her imminent release.
Saberi, who grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, was convicted last month after a closed-door hearing that her father said lasted only 15 minutes and her lawyer was not given time to defend her.
Iran had promised a complete review of the case on appeal and insisted Saberi would be allowed to provide a full defense. Officials have suggested that her prison term could be reduced. The court could also overturn her conviction.
Roxana Saberi, a 32-year-old dual American-Iranian national, was convicted last month of spying for the US and sentenced to eight years in prison.
Her case caused tension between the United States and Iran at a time with President Barack Obama had said he wanted to engage Washington's longtime adversary in a dialogue. The US has called the charges against her "baseless" and demanded she be freed.
Iran's judiciary announced that the appeals court, which heard her case on Sunday, had reduced her jail term to a suspended two-year sentence, said one of her lawyers, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi.
Her lawyers were heading to Evin prison to meet Saberi, said her other lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht. She has been held there since January.
"She is entitled to leave Iran immediately," he said.
Saberi moved to Iran six years ago and had worked as a freelance journalist for several organizations including National Public Radio and the British Broadcasting Corp.
The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders had welcomed the decision to suspend Saberi's sentence and looked forward to her imminent release.
Saberi, who grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, was convicted last month after a closed-door hearing that her father said lasted only 15 minutes and her lawyer was not given time to defend her.
Iran had promised a complete review of the case on appeal and insisted Saberi would be allowed to provide a full defense. Officials have suggested that her prison term could be reduced. The court could also overturn her conviction.
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