The United States and Iran have conducted a prisoner exchange just as the historic nuclear deal took effect this weekend. The U.S. freed seven Iranian nationals convicted of violating economic sanctions. In exchange, Iran freed four Americans, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian. The other prisoners freed were Marine veteran Amir Hekmati, Christian pastor Saeed Abedini and Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari, whose imprisonment had been secret until the exchange was announced. A fifth American national, student Matthew Trevithick, was released separately from the prisoner swap and has returned to the United States. The exchange coincides with the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal. The U.S. and other world powers have partially lifted crippling economic sanctions after the International Atomic Energy Agency certified Iran’s compliance with the dismantling of its nuclear infrastructure. IAEA President Yukiya Amano said a new era in relations with Iran has begun.

Yukiya Amano: “Relations between Iran and the IAEA are now entering into a new phase. We are committed to continue our work in an impartial, nonpolitical and factual way.”

We’ll have more on the prisoner exchange with Iran after headlines.