Mothers arrive in Iran to visit detained children

TEHRAN, Iran – The mothers of three jailed Americans brought appeals for their freedom to Iran Wednesday on a mission that could be complicated by diplomatic showdowns over Iran’s nuclear program.

The three women are scheduled to visit their children – who have been held since July when they were arrested along the Iraqi border – and seek meetings with top Iranian officials. Iran’s state-run Press TV said the weeklong visas had been granted on an “Islamic humanitarian basis.”

Nora Shourd, Cindy Hickey and Laura Fattal wore long black headscarves as they left their flight from Dubai at Tehran’s main international airport south of the capital.

They were met by envoys from the Swiss Embassy, which represents U.S. interests in Iran, and taken in embassy vehicles from the airport. The Swiss ambassador to Tehran presented them with flowers at the airport.

“We are here to visit our children that we haven’t seen for 10 months. We miss them very much,” said Shourd in a trembling voice before bursting into tears.

“We hope to take them back,” she said as tears rolled down her cheek.

Their arrival came a day after the United States said it had won support from other major powers for a new set of sanctions against Iran over its suspect nuclear program.

Iran has accused the three Americans – Sarah Shourd, 31; her boyfriend, Shane Bauer, 27; and their friend Josh Fattal, 27 – of spying. Their relatives reject the accusation and say the three were hiking in Iraq’s scenic and largely peaceful northern Kurdish region.

Their lawyer, Masoud Shafii, told the Associated Press the mothers are seeking meetings with officials involved in the case, and ideally with top Iranian leaders, including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in all state matters.

Although the Americans have not been publicly charged, Shafii left open the possibility of a resolution outside of usual legal channels.

“Anything is possible,” he said when asked whether the three might be released soon. “It doesn’t have the feel of a normal court case.”

Shafii planned to meet the mothers in Tehran and said they would visit the three detainees today. He said he has not yet been granted access to his clients.

Shafii said it was unclear whether they would meet at Tehran’s notorious Evin prison where the three are being held or at another location.

“We have to wait and see … but I think they are going to be given enough time with their children,” he said.