Iranian official rebuffs claims of hikers' imminent release

There are conflicting reports about the imminent release of the U.C. Berkeley hikers being held in Iran.

Iran's ambassador to Baghdad Hassan Danaeifar is rejecting reports that Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer will be released anytime soon, according to the Chinese news agency Xinhua.

Danaeifar said Iran is still probing the case of the two men who were detained two years ago along the Iran-Iraq border.

Iran's foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi gave his support to the two U.C. Berkeley hikers on Saturday by saying a final court verdict would lead to their release. Salehi is the highest ranking Iranian official to speak out on their behalf.

Fattal and Bauer have been accused by Iran of espionage.

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