(Image source: France 24)

BY JESSICA SIBERT

It’s still a waiting game for the two American hikers jailed in Iran to be freed. The second judge needed to complete the paperwork is on vacation.

“The story begins on July 31, 2009. Three Americans, Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer, and Josh Fattal, are all arrested near the Ahmed Awa waterfall in the mountains near the Iran-Iraq border.” (CNN)

Shourd was released last year—after her family coughed up $500,000. And now, Bauer and Fattal’s attorney is saying the only thing keeping the two men from finally being released is one last signature. NBC’s Ann Curry reports.

“It turns out the second judge required to sign these documents simply did not show up for work today—which is more evidence of this power play that we’ve been witnessing going on behind the scenes is still not over.”

Last week, The Washington Post did an hour-long interview with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in his office in Tehran. He had told The Post the Americans were expected to be released sometime this week.

“I am helping to arrange for their release in a couple of days so they will be able to return home … This is of course going to be a unilateral humanitarian gesture.”

Then, Iranian judicial officials rebuked the President, saying he didn’t have the authority to make that decision. So why’d he try? Fox News talked with analyst Richard Grenell.

“It is clear that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants to have a gift when he comes to the UN. He wants to have a gift that says I'll release the hikers and get the good will that comes with that. But the judiciary is a very strong team in Iran, and I don't think the judiciary there wants to give the president a gift like that.”

The Christian Science Monitor sees this as a perfect example of the power play going on in Iran.

“The court’s reversal appears to represent more of a message to the president that the court acts independently of his desires and policy objectives than an affirmation of the two men’s guilt.”

Fattal and Bauer’s attorney said he has no choice but to wait until Tuesday to finalize the paperwork to set them free. At least, that’s when the judge is supposed to be back from his vacation.  

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