Iran ready to implement Qatar-mediated prisoner swap deal with U.S. - official

Iran is ready to implement a Qatar-mediated deal with the United States, its foreign minister said on Thursday, under which Washington and Tehran each would free five prisoners and $6 billion in Iranian assets held in South Korea would be released.

The broad outlines of the U.S.-Iran deal under which U.S. citizens detained by Iran would be allowed to leave in exchange for the transfer of the funds to banks in Qatar and the release of five Iranians held in the United States were made public on Aug. 10. Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, in a telephone conversation with his Qatari counterpart, praised Doha's constructive role during months of negotiations that resulted in clinching the pact, Iranian state media reported.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday the deal was expected to be carried out in the coming days. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi; editing by Mark Heinrich)