An official with Oman's foreign ministry says the Gulf nation has sent a plane to Tehran amid efforts for a bail-for-freedom deal for two Americans jailed for spying. Oman played a similar role in bringing a third member of the group, Sarah Shourd, from Iran last year after payment of $500,000 bail. The Omani official gave no further details Wednesday on the possible release of Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, who were detained along the Iran-Iraq border in July 2009. Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the Americans could be released within days on a total of $1 million bail. But Iran's judiciary says the plan was still being reviewed. Iran's judiciary said Wednesday that no decision has been taken releasing two US hikers convicted of spying, a day after President Ahmadinejad said the duo would be released soon. “While denying ... release of two Americans accused of espionage, the public relations of the judiciary announces that the request of the lawyer to post bail and free them is being studied by the case's judge,” a statement posted on the judiciary website said. “Any information in this regard will be issued by the judiciary and any release of information from other sources is not valid,” it added. Ahmadinejad told The Washington Post Tuesday that Tehran would soon release Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, convicted of spying but who claimed to have accidentally strayed into the country, “in a couple of days so they will be able to return home.”
