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Mothers meet with detained U.S. hikers (31 images)

Mothers of three U.S. hikers jailed in Iran on spy charges met with their children at a Tehran Hotel Thursday, Iranian media reported.

Nora Shourd, Laura Fattal and Cindy Hickey arrived in Tehran Wednesday after the Iranian government granted them visas to visit their children, jailed since July 2009 after straying into the country from Iraq and arrested on espionage charges, Iran's government-backed Press TV reported.

The families said Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal strayed accidentally into Iran from Iraq at an unmarked border.

Iran's Intelligence Ministry said the three Americans have been treated well in prison despite the seriousness of the charges against them.

"We have treated the U.S. nationals according to our religious principles and on humanitarian grounds, even though these individuals committed an act of espionage by illegally crossing the (western) border into Iran," Iranian Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi told reporters Wednesday.



Jailed Americans Shane Bauer (2nd-L), Sarah Shourd (3rd,L) and Josh Fattal (2nd,R) sit with their mothers Cindy Hickey (L), Nora Shourd (4th,L) and Laura Fattal (R) during a reunion at a hotel in northern Tehran, Iran on May 20, 2010. The mothers of the three jailed Americans arrived on Wednesday in Tehran and was received by the ambassador of the Swiss embassy,which represents the interests of the U.S. with Iran. UPI/Maryam Rahmanian
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Jailed American Josh Fattal gets a kiss from his mother Laura Fattal during a reunion at a hotel in northern Tehran, Iran on May 20, 2010. The mothers of the three jailed Americans arrived on Wednesday in Tehran and was received by the ambassador of the Swiss embassy,which represents the interests of the U.S. with Iran. UPI/Maryam Rahmanian
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Sarah Shourd listens to her mother Nora speak to the media during their visit north of Tehran, Iran on May 20, 2010. The mothers of the three jailed Americans arrived on Wednesday in Tehran and was received by the ambassador of the Swiss embassy,which represents the interests of the U.S. with Iran. UPI/Maryam Rahmanian
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Jailed Americans Shane Bauer and girlfriend Sarah Shourd ae shown with his mother Cindy Hickey (L) during a reunion at a hotel in northern Tehran, Iran on May 20, 2010. The mothers of the three jailed Americans arrived on Wednesday in Tehran and was received by the ambassador of the Swiss embassy,which represents the interests of the U.S. with Iran. UPI/Maryam Rahmanian
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