DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced Friday that it is following up on the issue of Iranians imprisoned in the United States, and noted that “they will soon be released within the framework of a prisoner exchange.” According to the official Iranian news agency, the agreement with Washington. (Erna).

“The case of (innocent) Iranian prisoners who have been (illegally) arrested and imprisoned in the United States over the past years under false accusations in violation of strict US sanctions is being vigorously pursued,” the ministry added in a statement.

“Many of these prisoners illegally detained by the United States will soon be released,” the ministry said.

“The US prisoners included in this exchange are still in Iran,” the Iranian agency added.

And Adrian Watson, a spokesman for the US National Security Council, confirmed in a statement Thursday that Iran had transferred five Americans from prison to house arrest.

“Although this is an encouraging step, these US citizens – Siamak Namasi, Morad Tahbas, Imad Sergui and the two Americans who wish to retain their special status at this time – should not have been detained in the first place,” the spokesman added. Their condition will be monitored as closely as possible.”

He said negotiations for their eventual release were “ongoing and sensitive”.

On Friday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spoke in a statement about the “beginning of the process to release billions of dollars of Iranian funds illegally seized by the United States in South Korea over the years.”