LONG- DETAINED AMERICAN FREED, ON WAY HOME

Michael White, an American detained in Iran since 2018, has been freed and is on his way back home, his family said in a statement on Thursday.

White, a U.S. navy veteran, pictured, had been released from an Iranian prison in mid- March, but was held in Iran under Swiss custody on medical furlough.

U. S. President Donald Trump said White was on a Swiss plane that had left Iranian airspace and should be home with his family very soon.

Iran and the U. S. have called for the release of prisoners because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. More than 6.5 million cases and about 384,700 deaths have been reported worldwide.

Iran is the worst-hit country in the Middle East, with more than 160,000 cases and 70 deaths, while the U.S. has reported about 1.89 million infections and 108,600 deaths.