Iran denies US prisoner swap reports

TEHRAN: Iran on Monday denied media reports suggesting a prisoner swap deal had been reached with the United States, in parallel with nuclear talks involving the two arch-rivals.

"The reports from informed sources are not confirmed, as it was said in the past," foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told a news conference. But he added that "there are always plans and ideas to be pursued", without elaborating.

His comments came after outlets including Iranian state television on Sunday quoted an "informed" source saying that Tehran and Washington would swap prisoners. "Under pressure from the (US) Congress and the need for immediate results" in the nuclear file, "the Americans agreed to pay $7 million and release four Iranians... in exchange for four American spies," the source reportedly said. A senior White House official had also denied the report on Sunday.