The Lebanese national Mr. Nizar Zakka has been formally released and is on his way back to Lebanon this afternoon. The embassy of Lebanon in Tehran would like to extend its thanks to everyone, in Iran and in Lebanon, who have contributed to the realisation of this positive outcome, Abbas wrote in his Instagram page.
He added: "We reaffirm the strong bilateral relationships that exist between Lebanon and Iran, which are based on mutual respect and the promotion of mutual interests."
Lebanon's Foreign Ministry said earlier that Iranian authorities have agreed to a request by Lebanese President Michel Aoun on freedom of a citizen of the country arrested and imprisoned in Iran.
Following long, intensive negotiations, Iran's Ambassador to Beirut Mohammad-Jalal Firouznia announced that Iranian officials have accepted the Lebanese president's request from his Iranian counterpart on the freedom of Nazar Zaka, reported Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) quoting the statement.
In a phone call with Lebanon's Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, the ambassador has said that Tehran is ready to repatriate the Lebanese detainee at any time.
According to the report, Iran has pardoned Zaka on the occasion of Muslims' Eid al-Fitr that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
The Foreign Ministry's statement added that Beirut appreciated the move as step toward strengthening bilateral relations between Iran and Lebanon.
Nazar Zaka, the US-based Lebanese national, was arrested in Iran in 2015 on charges of espionage. He was sentenced to 10 years and paying 4.5 million dollars.
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