“It’s only a 1st step & every day they continue to be robbed of their freedom is a day too many,” Robert Malley, whose security clearances were revoked this spring, tweeted on Thursday after the United States and Iran reached a deal to free five U.S. citizens imprisoned in Iran. Tehran in return is set to receive several jailed Iranians and access to $6 billion in frozen funds. Iran moved the prisoners to house arrest this week, a first step toward their release.

Malley added that the “welcome” news is “too long in coming” and that he knows his “colleagues won’t rest until they all return home.”

[Quelle surprise. — Ed]