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An American journalist imprisoned on
espionage charges in Iran for four months was freed Monday and
reunited with her smiling, tearful parents, who prepared to return
home with her to the U.S. in the coming days.

      The release of Roxana Saberi clears a major obstacle to
President Barack Obama's attempts at a dialogue with the top U.S.
adversary in the Middle East. Washington had called the charges
against the 32-year-old dual Iranian-American citizen baseless and
repeatedly demanded her release.

      Hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad could also win some
domestic political points a month before he faces a re-election
challenge from reformers who seek to ease Iran's bitter rivalry
with the United States.

      Saberi's Iranian-born father, Reza Saberi, wiped away tears,
then flashed a broad smile as he and his wife, Akiko, arrived at
Tehran's Evin prison - notorious for holding political prisoners -
to meet their daughter. Akiko Saberi, who is of Japanese origin,
wore a flowered headscarf.

      "I'm very happy that she is free. Roxana is in good
condition," Reza Saberi said later at his family home in Tehran.
"We had expected her release but not so soon. She will be
preparing to leave (Iran) tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."

      The younger Saberi, who was taken out of Evin through a back
door away from journalists, was not seen after her release. She was
staying with her parents at a friend's home, apparently to avoid
publicity before leaving Iran.

      Her release came when an appeals court reduced her eight-year
prison sentence on charges of spying for the U.S. to a two-year
suspended sentence, said Iranian judiciary spokesman Ali Reza
Jamshidi. He said Saberi was free to leave Iran.

      The court ordered the reduction as a gesture of "Islamic
mercy" because she had cooperated with authorities and had
expressed regret, he said.

      U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton welcomed the
release.

      "Obviously, we continue to take issue with the charges against
her and the verdicts rendered, but we are very heartened that she
has been released, and wish her and her family all of the very
best," Clinton said in a statement.

      The release ends an ordeal for Saberi, who was convicted and
sentenced in a secret session by a security court. Her father said
the trial lasted only 15 minutes and her lawyer was not given time
to defend her.

      Her parents, who live in Fargo, N.D., rushed to Iran to seek her
freedom. At one point, the younger Saberi held a hunger strike
protesting her jailing, but ended it after two weeks when her
parents, visiting her in prison, asked her to stop because her
health was weakening.

      Saberi, who was crowned the 1997 Miss North Dakota, moved to
Iran six years ago and had worked as a freelance journalist for
several organizations, including NPR and the British Broadcasting
Corp.

      She was arrested in late January, but it was not known until
Feb. 10, when she called her father in Fargo and told him she had
been detained. She said it was because she had bought a bottle of
wine, which is illegal in Iran but available on the black market.
Her parents decided not to publicize the news until early March
when their concerns grew because their regular communications with
her were cut off.

      The next day, Iran's Foreign Ministry acknowledged her arrest,
saying she was working in the country illegally because her press
credentials were revoked in 2006. But when she was put on trial in
mid-April, she was convicted on much harsher charges of spying for
the United States.

      The conviction and heavy sentence brought strong criticism from
the U.S. and other countries at a time when Obama was reaching out
to Tehran. Iranian leaders have given mixed signals to the U.S.
outreach, sometimes appearing cold, but at times expressing
optimism over possible talks. Saberi's arrest, however, was seen by
many in the West as a sign that at least some hard-liners in Tehran
may be trying to scuttle any overtures.

      In the face of U.S. criticism, Ahmadinejad and others sounded a
more moderate tone, promising that Saberi's case would get a full
review on appeal.

      On Sunday, the appeals court convened for five hours, allowing
the defense to make its case. Her lawyers emerged saying they were
able to defend her and were optimistic her sentence would be
reduced.

      Saberi family friends in Fargo were elated at news of her
release. Last month, many had tied yellow ribbons around trees in
the quiet upscale neighborhood along the Red River Valley to show
support for her.

      Marianna Malm, Saberi's former English teacher at Fargo North
High School, was in tears Monday as she prepared for work.

      "They are tears of joy," Malm said. "It's an overwhelming
announcement."

      Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., called Saberi's imprisonment a
miscarriage of justice that "could not stand the test of public
opinion."

      Dorgan said Iranian officials likely felt the weight of
international pressure.

      "Obviously this means Iran has responded in the right way to
this situation," Dorgan said. "They're moving to correct
something that was a terrible miscarriage of justice."

Gallery

An American journalist jailed for four
months in Iran was freed Monday and reunited with her parents after
an appeals court suspended her eight-year prison sentence on
charges of spying for the U.S.

US journalist freed by Iran, reunites with parents

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