American Hikers Freed by Iran Returning to U.S.

Posted September 24th, 2011 at 1:45 pm (UTC-5)
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The American hikers who were freed by Iran after spending more than two years in prison will return to the U.S. on Sunday.

A family spokeswoman says Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer will arrive in the U.S. Sunday afternoon.

Iranian authorities released the two men on Wednesday on a $1 million bail payment. They initially traveled to Oman, which played a role in their release.

Earlier this year, an Iranian court sentenced them to eight years in prison on a conviction of spying.

Iranian authorities detained Fattal, Bauer and a third hiker, Sarah Shourd, in 2009 on charges of illegally crossing into the country from Iraq. Shourd was freed on bail last year and allowed to return to the U.S.

The hikers have maintained that if they crossed into Iran, it was by mistake.