An Iranian official has confirmed that Iranian government will soon release Sarah Shroud, one of three detained American citizens accused of spying. It has been learnt that Sarah Shroud along with other two Americans – Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal was detained near Iran’s border with Iraq by the end of July 2009 last year.

The families of the detainees say that the trio was on a mountain hike in northern Iraq at the time of their arrest. The US government denies Iran’s allegations and says that the spying allegations are simply groundless.

The Iranian official at Iran’s mission to the United Nations said in an e-mail statement, “I would like to confirm that Iran will be releasing Sarah Shourd, an American hiker, very soon.”

According to the latest reports, Sarah Shroud would be released on Saturday at a ceremony to be held at the Esteqlal Hotel in Tehran where the journalists have been invited over.

The White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement that all the there detained Americans should be freed instantaneously as they are innocent and have not done any criminal activities.

On the other hand, Iran’s Intelligence Minsiter Haider Moslehi said that the Iranian government has proofs of these three Americans’ involvement in spying activities.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had earlier said in February that the three American detainees might have been swapped for the release of Iranians jailed in the United States.

Sarah Shourd’s release could be a display of Islamic clemency on the occasion of the Eid Al-Fitr (when Muslims celebrate the holy festival after 30 days of fasting in the holy month of Ramdan).

Sarah Shroud