Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says two American hikers who have been jailed in the country on charges of espionage for two years will be freed this week, according to NBC News, which was to air an interview with the Iranian leader Tuesday morning.
A Twitter message posted by NBC News in the early morning hours Tuesday - just minutes after one of the network's local affiliates tweeted the same - said Ahmadinejad made the unexpected revelation in an interview with Ann Curry.
Ahmadinejad reportedly tells the network that Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, both 29, will be released "in two days".
Iranian officials in Tehran confirm to CBS News that it is Ahmadinejad's intention to free the hikers in the coming 48 hours.
The two American men were arrested more than two years ago while hiking along the Iraq-Iran border, and were sentenced to eight years in prison in August for espionage and illegally entering Iran.
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