It wasn’t known if any deal was made for the release of the five captives.
Various opposition bands in Syria, who are furious with Iran for backing the regime of Bashir al-Assad took seven engineers captive in December, then 11 pilgrims were taken from a bus January 26 and another 11 pilgrims on another bus hundreds of miles away were seized February 1.
All 11 of those captured February 1 were freed unharmed February 7. News reports said Turkey had located the group holding those Iranians and argued for their release.
The five men freed this week were among the 11 pilgrims seized in January. It isn’t known why only five of the 11 were freed. It is possible the five are bringing the demands for the release of the other six. But usually in such cases, only one hostage is freed to carry demands.
The five arrived home Saturday to an emotional welcome at Imam Khomeini Airport.
The Syrian rebels suspect any and all Iranians of helping Assad repress the rebels. The rebels charged that the men taken captive in December all had military cards, proving they were Iranian agents. But Iran said those were the discharge papers that all Iranian men carry with them so they are not hauled into a police station when they are stopped and question about whether they have done their military service.
The men taken in December were all engineers working on an electrical generating plant in Homs. Iran said they had gone to Homs long before the Syrian uprising erupted one year ago.