Iran frees Canadian-Iranian professor

Homa Hoodfar, a dual national and professor at Canada's Concordia University, was released due to illness, announced the Iranian foreign ministry on Monday. Hoodfar's supporters said that in recent weeks, she was "barely able to walk or talk."

"Homa Hoodfar, the retired professor of Canadian universities, who had been detained in Iran based on some accusations, was released this afternoon for humanitarian reasons including illness," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying.

The 65-year-old expert on gender and Islam was arrested and jailed in Tehran since June. She was accused of spying and carrying out "feminist activities," according to Iran's IRNA news agency.

Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, hailed Hoodfar's release in a statement, saying she would "soon be reunited with her family, friends and colleagues."

He also thanked Italy, Switzerland and Oman for their help in securing the academic's release, citing an "absence of diplomatic representation of its own in Iran." He added that Hoodfar has left Iran and was traveling to Canada via Oman.

Hoodfar's release comes a week after Canada and Iran began talks on possibly restoring diplomatic ties between the two nations which were broken off four years ago.

"I would also like to recognize the cooperation of those Iranian authorities who facilitated her release and repatriation," Trudeau said.

"They understand that cases like these impede more productive relations."

Iran does not recognize those with dual nationalities, which means that those who are detained by authorities cannot receive assistance from consulates. At least seven dual nationals have been arrested in Iran since the landmark nuclear deal last July.

Some analysts believe that Iranian hard-liners hope to use detained dual nationals to bargain with Western nations.

rs/  (AP, AFP, Reuters)