Iran: Has freed Iranian-Canadian academic

Iranian-Canadian anthropologist Homa Hoodfar who was arrested and jailed in Tehran in June for "security offences" has been released and has left the country, the foreign ministry said on Monday.

The official IRNA news agency quoted a ministry spokesman as saying that the 65-year-old woman with dual nationality, who had also been accused of "feminist activities", was freed "for humanitarian reasons".

Hoodfar travelled to Oman and on to Canada, he said.

Iranian state television has said Hoodfar was a founding member of a London-based advocacy group, Women Living Under Muslim Law (WLUML).

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canadians were relieved Hoodfar had been released and would "soon be reunited with her family, friends and colleagues".

"The government of Canada has been actively and constructively engaged at the highest levels... since her ordeal began," he said.

"I would also like to recognise the cooperation of those Iranian authorities who facilitated her release and repatriation.

"They understand that cases like these impede more productive relations," Trudeau said in a statement.

"In the absence of diplomatic representation of its own in Iran, Canada worked closely with others who were instrumental in helping secure Dr Hoodfar's release -- most notably Oman, Italy and Switzerland."

Oman's foreign ministry said the sultanate had acted as a mediator in negotiations for Hoodfar's release "in response to a request from the Canadian government", state news agency ONA reported.

A ministry official said arrangements were made for an Omani air force plane to fly her from Tehran to Muscat on Monday before her return to Canada.

Canada severed diplomatic relations with Iran in 2012, after its government criticised the Islamic republic's support for the Syrian regime, its "incitement to genocide" against Israel and its leaders' failure to account for their nuclear programme.

Ties were also strained by Tehran's jailing of Iranian-born Canadians and authorities denying Canadian detainees consular protection.

Iran does not recognise dual nationality and treats those arrested as Iranian citizens only.

But after a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers last year towards lifting international sanctions in exchange for Tehran curbing its nuclear programme, Canada announced the lifting of economic sanctions against Iran in February.

Ottawa however said it would maintain restrictions on exports of nuclear goods and technologies, and anything that could help Iran to develop ballistic missiles.

In 2013, Ottawa imposed a near-total trade embargo on Iran that included economic sanctions and travel restrictions against 78 officials and 508 organisations.

Source: AFP