In August 2020, a Belgian aid worker being held in Iran was released following an Oman-mediated prisoner exchange between the two countries. The prisoner swap reportedly included the release of Jalal Ruhollahnejad, an Iranian diplomat who had been held since late 2018 in Brussels. As part of the deal, Belgium agreed to release an Iranian who had been detained for alleged sanctions violations. The exchange followed months of negotiations between the two countries and was seen as a success of diplomatic channels and Middle Eastern mediation.