Princeton Graduate Student Xiyue Wang Freed By Iran

Xiyue Wang, a Princeton University graduate student who had been held in Iran for over three years, has been released as part of a prisoner exchange between the United States and Iran, according to officials.

"The entire Princeton University community is overjoyed that Xiyue Wang can finally return home to his wife and young son, and we look forward to welcoming him back to campus," a statement from the university said. "We are grateful to everyone, at Princeton and beyond, who has supported Xiyue and his family throughout his unjust imprisonment, and for all the efforts that have led to his release.

"We would like to especially extend our thanks to the United States government, the governments of Switzerland, and the students, faculty and staff who continued to advocate for Xiyue's freedom throughout his ordeal."

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wang had been held on false charges in Iran. He was arrested in August 2016 while conducting research in Iran and had been sentenced to 10 years on espionage charges.

"We will not rest until we bring every American detained in Iran and around the world back home to their loved ones," Pompeo said in a statement. "We thank the Swiss government for facilitating the return of Mr. Wang, and are pleased the Iranian government has been constructive in this matter."

Wang is currently undergoing a medical evaluation at an American army hospital in Germany, CNN reports.

The release came as part of a prisoner swap between the United States and Iran.

In exchange for releasing Wang, the United States released Massoud Soleimani, according to Iran's foreign minister Javad Zarif. CNN reported that Soleimani is an Iranian stem cell scientist who was arrested in the U.S. in 2018.

"Our family is complete once again," Wang's wife, Hua Qu, said in a statement. "Our son Shaofan and I have waited three long years for this day and it’s hard to express in words how excited we are to be reunited with Xiyue. We are thankful to everyone who helped make this happen."

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez said he sincerely welcomed the news of Wang's release.

Wang, a naturalized U.S. citizen since 2009, was a fourth-year graduate student at Princeton's Department of History and had traveled to Iran to study Farsi and conduct research for his Ph.D. dissertation, according to Princeton.

He was convicted to 10 years in prison in April 2017 and his appeal was denied.