"We are ready to exchange Iranian and American prisoners, and we are ready to discuss it with the Americans," Xinhua news agency quoted spokesman Ali Rabiei quoted as saying to local media.

He urged Washington to respond to Tehran's call as, he said, "we are worried about the health condition of Iranians in the US jails".

The remarks by the Iranian official followed a December exchange of two prisoners between Tehran and Washington, a detained American on spying charges for an imprisoned Iranian researcher for violating sanctions on Tehran.

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