Iran has released an American woman held for more than a year on suspicion of spying, reports from Iran say.
Sarah Shourd was detained near Iran's border with Iraq on 31 July 2009, along with Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal.
The Tehran chief prosecutor said at the weekend that Ms Shourd would be freed when $500,000 (£325,000) bail was paid, and could leave the country.
Ms Shourd's lawyer said she had been released and was heading to the Swiss embassy in Tehran, Reuters reported.
The families of the three hikers - who are all Americans - say they crossed the poorly-demarcated border by mistake while hiking in the mountainous northern Iraqi region of Khormal.
Officials in Tehran said they had "suspicious aims" and that they intended to put them on trial for espionage.
Mr Bauer and Mr Fattal are still being held at Evin prison.
US officials have said the three - all graduates of the University of California, Berkeley - are completely innocent.
News of Ms Shourd's release comes days after Tehran chief prosecutor Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi said he had objected to a plan announced by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to release Ms Shourd at the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan because legal procedures had "not been completed".
But the prosecutor has now told Iran's Press TV that the bail money had been paid into an Iranian bank in Oman.
The BBC's Middle East correspondent, Jon Leyne, says a number of people facing trial in Iran have taken the option of leaving the country and forfeiting their bail, rather than risk facing a long prison term.
After seeing her in May, Ms Shourd's mother said she was being denied treatment for serious health problems, including a lump in her breast and precancerous cervical cells.
The three friends were all said to be undernourished and depressed after more than a year in virtual solitary confinement.
Sarah Shourd was detained near Iran's border with Iraq on 31 July 2009, along with Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal.
The Tehran chief prosecutor said at the weekend that Ms Shourd would be freed when $500,000 (£325,000) bail was paid, and could leave the country.
Ms Shourd's lawyer said she had been released and was heading to the Swiss embassy in Tehran, Reuters reported.
The families of the three hikers - who are all Americans - say they crossed the poorly-demarcated border by mistake while hiking in the mountainous northern Iraqi region of Khormal.
Officials in Tehran said they had "suspicious aims" and that they intended to put them on trial for espionage.
Mr Bauer and Mr Fattal are still being held at Evin prison.
US officials have said the three - all graduates of the University of California, Berkeley - are completely innocent.
News of Ms Shourd's release comes days after Tehran chief prosecutor Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi said he had objected to a plan announced by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to release Ms Shourd at the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan because legal procedures had "not been completed".
But the prosecutor has now told Iran's Press TV that the bail money had been paid into an Iranian bank in Oman.
The BBC's Middle East correspondent, Jon Leyne, says a number of people facing trial in Iran have taken the option of leaving the country and forfeiting their bail, rather than risk facing a long prison term.
After seeing her in May, Ms Shourd's mother said she was being denied treatment for serious health problems, including a lump in her breast and precancerous cervical cells.
The three friends were all said to be undernourished and depressed after more than a year in virtual solitary confinement.
Who Are The Hikers
Shane Bauer
The 28-year-old was born and grew up in Onamia, Minnesota, with his mother and in San Leandro, California, with his father. He is the eldest of three children.
A freelance journalist and photographer, after graduating he specialised in reporting on the Middle East and North Africa, where he spent much of his time. He is a Middle East correspondent for New America Media (NAM) and his work has been published widely.
The fluent Arabic speaker moved in 2008 to Damascus, where he lived with Sarah Shourd. The two met while organising demonstrations against the US-led invasion of Iraq. Mr Bauer has said he is opposed to "the US hegemonic policies in the Middle East".
After Mr Bauer's detention, Sandy Close, executive director of the Pacific News Service, said that she had employed him to cover the elections of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. She said he had not intended to travel to Iran.
After seeing him briefly in May, Mr Bauer's mother said he was suffering from a severe stomach ailment.
It was also announced that Mr Bauer and Ms Shourd were engaged. He proposed in the exercise yard at Evin prison in January, his mother said. Josh Fattal will be the best man.
The 28-year-old was born and grew up in Onamia, Minnesota, with his mother and in San Leandro, California, with his father. He is the eldest of three children.
A freelance journalist and photographer, after graduating he specialised in reporting on the Middle East and North Africa, where he spent much of his time. He is a Middle East correspondent for New America Media (NAM) and his work has been published widely.
The fluent Arabic speaker moved in 2008 to Damascus, where he lived with Sarah Shourd. The two met while organising demonstrations against the US-led invasion of Iraq. Mr Bauer has said he is opposed to "the US hegemonic policies in the Middle East".
After Mr Bauer's detention, Sandy Close, executive director of the Pacific News Service, said that she had employed him to cover the elections of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. She said he had not intended to travel to Iran.
After seeing him briefly in May, Mr Bauer's mother said he was suffering from a severe stomach ailment.
It was also announced that Mr Bauer and Ms Shourd were engaged. He proposed in the exercise yard at Evin prison in January, his mother said. Josh Fattal will be the best man.
Sarah Shourd
The 32-year-old, the youngest of three children, was born in Oak Park, Illinois but grew up in Los Angeles, California.
A teacher, writer and women's rights activist, she lived in the San Francisco Bay Area after graduating from university until she moved to Damascus to live with Shane Bauer.
While in Syria, she worked for the Iraqi Student Project, a programme which seeks to make it possible for Iraqis to study at US universities.
She has written articles on travel and social issues reflecting her time in Syria, Ethiopia, Yemen and Mexico. In one article she recounted a meal as a guest of Iraqi refugees in Yemen, writing: "Everyday I feel ashamed at what my country has done to their country."
Ms Shourd has been held in solitary confinement at Evin prison, and her mother has said she has been denied treatment for serious health problems, including a lump in her breast and precancerous cervical cells.
On 10 September, the Iranian judiciary blocked a plan announced by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to release Ms Shourd at the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan as a good-will gesture.
Tehran's chief prosecutor, Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi, said he had objected to the release because legal procedures "have not been completed".
But on 12 September, he announced that the authorities were ready to release Ms Shourd on $500,000 (£325,000) bail because she was ill, and that she would be allowed to leave the country.
The 32-year-old, the youngest of three children, was born in Oak Park, Illinois but grew up in Los Angeles, California.
A teacher, writer and women's rights activist, she lived in the San Francisco Bay Area after graduating from university until she moved to Damascus to live with Shane Bauer.
While in Syria, she worked for the Iraqi Student Project, a programme which seeks to make it possible for Iraqis to study at US universities.
She has written articles on travel and social issues reflecting her time in Syria, Ethiopia, Yemen and Mexico. In one article she recounted a meal as a guest of Iraqi refugees in Yemen, writing: "Everyday I feel ashamed at what my country has done to their country."
Ms Shourd has been held in solitary confinement at Evin prison, and her mother has said she has been denied treatment for serious health problems, including a lump in her breast and precancerous cervical cells.
On 10 September, the Iranian judiciary blocked a plan announced by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to release Ms Shourd at the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan as a good-will gesture.
Tehran's chief prosecutor, Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi, said he had objected to the release because legal procedures "have not been completed".
But on 12 September, he announced that the authorities were ready to release Ms Shourd on $500,000 (£325,000) bail because she was ill, and that she would be allowed to leave the country.
Josh Fattal
The 28-year-old, the youngest of two children, grew up in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania but lived in Eugene, Oregon.
An environmentalist and teacher, he worked after graduation for three years at the Aprovecho Research Center in Cottage Grove, Oregon, a non-profit organisation that researches sustainable lifestyles.
From January to June 2009, Mr Fattal was a teaching assistant on the International Honors Program (IHP) Health and Community programme, which took him to Switzerland, India, China, and South Africa.
At the end of the semester, he travelled in Europe with his brother, who was conducting research in Sweden.
He travelled to Damascus in the summer of 2009 for a brief reunion with Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd.
Mr Fattal was said to be undernourished and depressed in May, as were Mr Bauer and Ms Shourd.
The 28-year-old, the youngest of two children, grew up in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania but lived in Eugene, Oregon.
An environmentalist and teacher, he worked after graduation for three years at the Aprovecho Research Center in Cottage Grove, Oregon, a non-profit organisation that researches sustainable lifestyles.
From January to June 2009, Mr Fattal was a teaching assistant on the International Honors Program (IHP) Health and Community programme, which took him to Switzerland, India, China, and South Africa.
At the end of the semester, he travelled in Europe with his brother, who was conducting research in Sweden.
He travelled to Damascus in the summer of 2009 for a brief reunion with Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd.
Mr Fattal was said to be undernourished and depressed in May, as were Mr Bauer and Ms Shourd.
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