Iran to Trade French Prisoners: A Playbook Washington Knows Well
Al-Monitor reports Iran will free two French citizens in exchange for France releasing an Iranian citizen. This isn't just about French nationals; it's a playbook Washington has perfected over decades, exchanging 'terrorists' and 'political prisoners' depending on who's doing the arresting. Recall the US swap of Iranian scientist Sirous Asgari for Xiyue Wang in 2020. ( Al-Monitor ) While Iran is
framed by Western media as uniquely engaging in 'hostage diplomacy,' the practice is hardly exclusive. The US has its own history of holding foreign nationals on questionable charges, then using them for leverage. One might question if calling it 'exchange' when France does it and 'state-sponsored terrorism' when Tehran does it, raises questions about objective journalism. Maybe some principles
are just for export.