Controversial Iran-Belgium Prisoner Swap Ends in Release of Aid Worker and Diplomat.

Iran and Belgium have conducted a prisoner swap facilitated by Oman, resulting in the release of Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi and Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele. Iran had sentenced Vandecasteele to 40 years in prison and 74 lashes after convicting him of espionage, while Belgium convicted Assadi of planning a thwarted bomb attack against an exiled Iranian opposition group in France. The deal has been criticized by the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran, which accused Belgium of paying a "shameful ransom."