June 10, 2020 

The Trump administration's senior adviser on Iran has said the negotiations that secured the release of U.S. Navy veteran Michael White began months ago, and continue with the aim of getting three more American prisoners home. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook issued a staunch defense of the White House's "maximum pressure" policy of choking Tehran with economic sanctions over its nuclear program while continuing indirect negotiations focused on freeing prisoners.

"We have now won the release of two Americans, with no pallets of cash, no sanctions relief and no change in policy. Our maximum pressure campaign continues," Hook said in an interview with the Washington D.C.-based Heritage Foundation, a conservative policy think-tank. He was referring to the release of White, along with U.S. academic Xiyue Wang, who was freed by Iran in December in exchange for Iranian scientist Massoud Soleimani.

"This is another example that our strategy is working," said Hook.

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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-iran-envoy-brian-hook-says-trump-policy-working-but-success-seems-limited-to-prisoner-swaps/