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Two American Hikers Freed In Iran

//shane bauer joshua_fattal_

Sept. 21 2011, Published 10:00 a.m. ET

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by RadarOnline.com Staff

Two Americans held prisoner in Iran for more than two years were freed Wednesday, RadarOnline.com is reporting.

Shane Bauer and Joshua Fattal, both 29, were released from the Evin prison in Tehran after their bail -- set at $500,000 for each man  -- was paid.

Shortly before their release, their attorney Masoud Shafiei said: “The case is over… the court has ordered that they be freed on bail."

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Because the United States does not have diplomatic relations with Iran, Switzerland represents U.S. interests in the country and helped negociate their release.

Shafiei said the government of the tiny Persian country of Oman had paid bail for Bauer and Fattel. (Oman also reportedly paid bail last year to secure the release of the hikers’ companion, Sarah Shourd, who was arrested with them, but released last year).

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Bauer and Fattal were arrested along the Iran-Iraq border in July 2009 on charges of spying; they were each sentenced last month to eight years in prison.

The news of their release comes a day before Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is due to speak at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

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