US Reaches Deal To Free Americans In Iran

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Good morning and happy Friday!

Reunited and it feels so good 😉 

Yep, that’s Mosheh and Jill recording the Mo News podcast IN PERSON for the first time ever from our new HQ at WeWork in Brooklyn. Take a listen! 

(Also, check out the MoWorks20 code for 20% at a WeWork office near you)

Have a great weekend,

Mosheh, Jill, & Courtney

🗞 US AND IRAN MAKE A DEAL

The U.S. and Iran reached a deal Thursday for five Americans who are detained in Iran to eventually leave the country. In exchange, the US will give Iran access to $6 billion dollars of oil revenue and also free a number of jailed Iranians.

US officials confirm that the American prisoners have already been released from the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran and moved into house arrest, where they will likely stay for several weeks.

WHO ARE THE PRISONERS?
We only know the identity of three of the prisoners: Siamak Namazi, Emad Shargi, Morad Tahbaz. They’re all dual Iranian-US citizens.

• The US has long maintained the men had been unjustly detained.

• One of the other prisoners, who also hasn’t been publicly identified, was already under house arrest.

  • Namazi was arrested in 2015 while on a business trip. He was charged with having “relations with a hostile state,” referring to the US.

• Shargi is a also businessman.

• Tahbaz is an environmentalist.

IN HIS OWN WORDS
Back In March, one of the prisoners, Siamak Bamazi, took the very unprecedented step— at great risk to himself— to use his phone privilege in prison to call CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. He asked President Biden to put the “liberty of innocent Americans above politics” and help secure his release.

WHERE IS THE $6 BILLION COMING FROM?
To be clear, this is NOT the United States directly paying $6 billion for the prisoners’ release. This is actually $6 billion of frozen Iranian money.

• From 2012 to 2019, Iran was allowed to sell oil to South Korea and other countries, but the money was frozen in South Korean banks.

• Under the terms of this deal, $6 billion of that money will be more readily available for what’s called “non-sanctionable trade,” things like food and medicine.

• The money will be transferred to Qatar, which will reportedly oversee how Iran spends it.

  • Critics say that Iran and Qatar are friends, so Iran will be able to do whatever it wants with the money.

  • A number of Republicans slammed the White House for what they call “appeasement” of the Iranian regime.

PRISONER SWAP
Part of this deal is a prisoner swap. Iran and the US have reportedly agreed to reciprocally release and pardon five prisoners.

• It’s not clear which Iranian prisoners will be released from US custody. Iranian media has previously identified several prisoners in the US who have cases tied to violations of US export laws and restrictions on doing business with Iran.

YOU CAN CALL ME ON MY CELL PHONE 
Actually, unlike the Drake song, the US doesn’t even have diplomatic relations with Iran. So this exchange follows what’s described to the NY Times as a “very intensive” process of negotiations— working through partners like Qatar, Oman and Switzerland. Iraq and the United Arab Emirates also reportedly played a role.

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 IRS unable to locate millions of tax records, watchdog says.(POLITICO)

📌 Special Counsel Jack Smith proposes Jan 2 start date for Trump election interference trial (POLITICO) Note his already jam packed trial schedule below.

📌 UPDATE: Maui wildfires death toll climbs to 53; Second deadliest fire in more than a century (CNN)

📌 Supreme Court blocks opioid deal for Purdue Pharma over immunity deal for Sackler family (AP)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Six Colombians arrested in assassination of Ecuador presidential candidate (NY TIMES)

📌 Biden requests additional $20 billion for Ukraine military, economic support; would bring total US aid to close to $100 billion (WASHINGTON POST)

📌 Ukraine slaps "war sponsor” label on Bacardi liquor maker for supporting Russia (AXIOS)

📌 3 dead after they were served wild mushrooms by daughter-in-law at lunch (NDTV)

📱BUSINESS & TECH

📌 Thursday’s inflation data may be low, but don’t expect the Fed to declare ‘mission accomplished’ yet. (CNBC)

📌 ChatGPT expands new custom functions for free users (TECHCRUNCH)

📌 UPS says drivers set to make $170,000 in pay and benefits after union deal (CBS NEWS)

📌 California approves robotaxi driverless car expansion for San Francisco (REUTERS)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Taylor Swift announces '1989 (Taylor's Version),' receives 8-minute standing ovation at last L.A. show (PEOPLE)

📌 Hollywood studios preparing new offer for striking writers (BLOOMBERG)

📌 Golfer Phil Mickelson wagered over $1 billion, tried to bet on Ryder Cup (ESPN)

📌 Women’s World Cup Quarterfinals: Teams to Watch (WASHINGTON POST)

🎉 CHEERS TO THE FREAKIN WEEKEND

• WHAT WE’RE WATCHING: Jill: Only Murders In The Building, Season 3~ Hulu; Mosheh: The Deepest Breath~ Netflix

• WHAT WE’RE READING: Jill: Dog Parks Are Great for People. Too Bad They’re Terrible for Dogs.~New York Times; Mosheh: The Six: The Untold Story Of The First Women Astronauts~ Loren Grush

• WHAT WE’RE EATING: Jill: Breakfast Bowl from Bluestone Lane in Dumbo; Mosheh: Frog Hollow Organic Fruit Club