Iran weighs releasing detained Americans amid coronavirus outbreak

Iran is considering releasing some Americans it has detained, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday, as he urged the Islamic Republic to free them as a humanitarian gesture because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"We are aware that they are thinking about whether to release them or not," Pompeo told reporters at the State Department. "Everyone should know that we are working it, we are communicating with them, and we are urging them, as we have done publicly many times, to release every American that is being wrongfully held there as a humanitarian gesture, given the risk that is posed to them given what is taking place inside of Iran."