A Western source close to indirect talks between Iran and the United States confirmed to Iran International that release of Western prisoners is part of the overall negotiations.

The source said that exchanging prisoners is not part of the final text of the agreement but is part of the ongoing negotiations, in parallel with nuclear talks.

Earlier, Reuters reported some details about a draft agreement being completed in Vienna and quoting diplomatic sources who said that release of Western prisoners held in Iran was one of the first steps in case a deal is finalized.

Russia’s chief envoy, Mikhail Ulyanov, however, told Iran International that exchanging prisoners is not part of the JCPOA negotiations. The new information received is a confirmation that a prisoner exchange is part of the overall talks, but as Ulyanov indicated, not part of the official draft text charting a return to the JCPOA.

Iran has detained several Westerners and dual nationals on spurious charges, in what human rights organizations have called 'hostage taking'. In the past Iran has traded such prisoners for money or to free Iranians jailed in the West for sanctions violations.