Jason Rezaian pictured in 2013.
Vahid Salemi / AP
Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post reporter detained in Iran since July 2014, was due to be freed by the Iranian government on Saturday, along with three other Americans.
His release was reported by Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, which reported the inmates were freed in a prisoner swap deal.
The Washington Post also reported Rezaian's release, citing Iranian news agencies.
State television announced four prisoners were released but did not reveal their identities, according to the Associated Press.
The former Washington Post Tehran correspondent has been in custody since he was arrested on July 22, 2014, along with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, an Iranian citizen who worked for The National, an English-language newspaper based in Abu Dhabi.
She was later released, but Rezaian was convicted in October last year on charges of espionage, collecting classified information, collaborating with hostile governments, and propaganda against the establishment. In November, he was sentenced to more than 15 months in prison.
His supporters accused the Iranian authorities of fabricating the charges.
The reports of his release came as the Iranian foreign minister and world leaders gathered in Vienna Saturday to complete an agreement that would see nuclear-related sanctions on the country lifted.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with his Iranian counterpart, Javad Zarif, and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini over the Iran nuclear deal.
"All oppressive sanctions imposed against Iran will be annulled today," Zarif said on Iranian state TV, AP reported.
"Our region has been freed from shadow of an unnecessary conflict that could have caused concerns for the region. Today is also a good day for the world. Today will prove that we can solve important problems through diplomacy," he said.
Under the deal, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting economic and trade sanctions.
The agreement puts Iran's various nuclear activities under International Atomic Energy Agency watch for up to 15 years, with an option to re-impose sanctions should Tehran break its commitments.
SOURCE: BuzzFeed
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