(http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/130109-iranian-prisoners-hmed-10a.photoblog600.jpg)Khaled Al-Hariri / ReutersIranians released by Syrian rebels arrive at a hotel in Damascus on Wednesday. The 48 were released by Syrian rebels in exchange for the more than 2,000 civilian prisoners held by the Syrian government.By Ece Toksabay, ReutersSyrian rebels freed 48 Iranian hostages on Wednesday in exchange for the release of more than 2,000 civilian prisoners held by the Syrian government, according to the head of a Turkish aid agency that helped broker the deal.
Follow @NBCNewsWorld (https://twitter.com/NBCNewsWorld) The Syrian rebel al-Baraa brigade seized the Iranians in early August and initially threatened to kill them, saying they were members of Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sent to fight for Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The Islamic Republic, one of Assad's closest allies, denied this, saying they were Shiite Muslim pilgrims visiting shrines. Iran asked Turkey and Qatar to use their connections with Syrian insurgents to help secure their release.
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