Olivier Vandecasteele: Iran releases Belgian aid worker in prisoner swap

Iran has released Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele, as part of what Oman's government said was a prisoner swap between the two countries.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said Mr Vandecasteele was on his way home "after 455 days in prison in Tehran in unbearable conditions".

Oman did not identify the Iranian prisoner freed by Belgium in exchange.

But Iran has demanded the return of diplomat Assadollah Assadi, who was jailed by Belgium two years ago.

He was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of masterminding an attempted attack on an exiled Iranian opposition group's rally in France. Iran insisted the plot was a fabrication.

Mr Vandecasteele was meanwhile handed a 40-year sentence in January after a court convicted him of espionage. He and Belgium said he was innocent and that he was being detained arbitrarily.