Iran Grants Early Release to Austrian Citizen Christian Weber

Christian Weber, an Austrian citizen initially convicted of spying in Iran, has been granted early release. The Austrian embassy in Tehran is working to ensure his swift return home. His release coincides with anti-government demonstrations in Iran; the charges against Weber are unrelated.

Iran has granted an early release from prison to Austrian citizen Christian Weber, who had originally been convicted of spying, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer announced on Tuesday.

"I am very pleased that ... the Foreign Ministry and the embassy in Tehran have succeeded in securing the early release of Christian Weber from Iranian custody," Nehammer shared on social media platform X. "The Austrian embassy's team in Tehran is now working hard to ensure that he can leave the country as quickly as possible and be reunited with his family in Austria," he added.

Austria and Iran have maintained a low profile regarding the case, first made public in late 2022. This disclosure came against the backdrop of massive anti-government protests in Iran, which followed the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman detained for allegedly violating dress codes. Austria clarified that the charges against Weber were not linked to the Amini incident.

In February, Austria's foreign minister revealed that Weber's conviction for spying had been overturned on appeal, and his sentence for other unspecified crimes was halved. The Austrian foreign ministry indicated on Tuesday that "administrative steps" were still pending with Iranian authorities.

The Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency reported that Weber had been detained for crimes in Iran's West Azerbaijan Province and released as an act of Islamic mercy. He has since been handed over to Austria's ambassador for exit arrangements. Calls to the Austrian embassy before regular office hours went unanswered, and Iran's judiciary was not immediately available for comment.

(With inputs from agencies.)