Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/mystery-surrounds-irans-motives-for-releasing-journalist Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript The day after the release of U.S. journalist Roxana Saberi, who was jailed for months, analysts examine what Tehran's motives might be in ending the dispute over her case. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. JIM LEHRER: Now, Margaret Warner reports on Iran's mysterious decisions to arrest and then release journalist Roxana Saberi. MARGARET WARNER: A smiling Roxana Saberi greeted reporters in Tehran this morning, one day after being released from more than three months in the notorious Evin Prison. ROXANA SABERI, journalist: I'm, of course, very happy to be free and to be with my parents again. MARGARET WARNER: The 32-year-old reporter, a dual Iranian and American citizen, was arrested in late January for buying a bottle of wine, forbidden in the strictly Islamic Republic. She was eventually charged with and convicted of espionage.After a secret court proceeding, she was sentenced to eight years in prison.But yesterday, in what was called a gesture of Islamic mercy, an appeals court reduced her sentence to a suspended term of two years and allowed her to go free. Her conviction, however, remains intact.Saberi's release came after an international outcry and diplomatic pressure to free her, from the U.S. and others. Saberi thanked those supporters today. ROXANA SABERI: And I want to thank all the people all over the world which I'm just finding out about, really, who, whether they knew me or not, helped me and my family during this period.