UPDATE! Americans Held in Iran Freed….. for $1,000,000

American hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal were released Wednesday morning for a fine of $500,000 per person. The source of the money is as yet unknown. The two were sentenced earlier this year for 8 years in prison for spying. Sarah Shourd, a third hiker, was released on bail last year.

The trio was arrested in July of 2009 along the Iran-Iraq border when they supposedly strayed from the Kurdish region of Iraq into Iranian territory and accused of espionage.

The release coincides with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

This is a developing story. More details will be reported as they become available.

***UPDATE*** Bauer and Fattal have now been flown out of Iran by an Omani envoy. The small country of Oman may also have been responsible for paying the $1,000,000 bail for the two men.