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Published January 23, 2017
This is a rush transcript from "On the Record," January 18, 2016. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Americans are now free, but they are not all home in the United States, at least not yet. "Washington Post" reporter Jason Rezaian spent 544 days in the notorious Evin Prison.
Jason's brother, Ali, has been able to see his brother Jason. He goes ON THE RECORD from Germany.
Ali, I have been waiting for this moment when you and I could talk after your brother was out. I have been waiting for this for a long time.
ALI REZAIAN, BROTHER OF FREED JOURNALIST JASON REZAIAN: Well, Greta, thank you so much for your call earlier. And, you know, you have been a wonderful supporter of Jason this whole time. I'm really happy to be here. And really happy to be at Landstuhl with Jason and my mom and my sister-in- law.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right, when you saw your brother Jason, what was the first thing the two of you said?
REZAIAN: You know, he said -- you know, he kind of looked at me and said thanks. And I kind of looked at him, it was kind of like, hey, that's my brother, you know. I mean, after not seeing him for, you know, 18 months, I didn't know what kind of condition he was going to be in. And, you know, he looks pretty strong. He seems really happy to be out and getting happier by the hour he says.
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, you know, it was really hair raising, I read one account that when they finally released your brother and everyone is expecting to leave Tehran, that there was some hold up on his wife and your mother.
REZAIAN: Yes. You know, I mean really, up until the very end they were playing games with them. They had been telling my sister-in-law and my mom that she wasn't going to be able to leave with Jason. And that she would leave later. Jason didn't know any difference.
And, you know, when push came to shove at the end, you know, the Swiss were really strong and the Americans just said, hey, you guys, this is our deal. These guys are going along and they are getting on that plane. So they have done everything they could. The Iranians had done everything they could to keep them away from that airplane and keep them from getting on it. But in the end, the right thing happened and they flew out with Jason.
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, you have been a great brother. Does he know how much you have been pounding the pavement for him the past 18 months?
REZAIAN: You know, I don't think he does. I was thinking about seeing if I could get him a Nexus report of all the different news hits. But, you know, one thing that he has been telling me is he really wants to spend some time. See what's going on in the world.
He has been getting all of his news from the Iranian press TV over there, which is neither fair nor balanced. And it gives him a really skewed perspective on the world. So he is happy now that he can get online and see what's going on.
VAN SUSTEREN: I know you guys are all overwhelmed and everything with this. But any plans? I mean, what are you going to do? What's he going to do?
REZAIAN: You know, right now, we are all here. You know, the folks over at Landstuhl have an amazing program to help people that are coming out of situations like this that have gone through trauma. So I think we will be here for a while until the docks tell them it's time to go, probably a few days. My guess is we head to D.C. and hopefully get to talk to you and then back to San Francisco. Jason said he want some time off and rest and reflect and decide what he is going to do next.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Well, I'm absolutely thrilled for you. I'm thrilled for your brother, for your entire family, and he has a great brother who has been really great advocate for him.
Ali, I look forward to seeing you here in Washington.
REZAIAN: Hey, thank you so much, Greta. Thanks for covering this along. I really, really appreciate it.
VAN SUSTEREN: You know, we just wanted him out. You know, it's like how could you not? Anyway, thank you, Ali.
REZAIAN: You have been amazing. Thank you.
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