Clinton proclaims ‘relief’ at Saberi return

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hailed the safe return of journalist Roxana Saberi from Iran in a joint appearance Wednesday.

“This was a matter of great concern to our country, certainly, to the Obama administration, to me personally, not only as secretary of state, but as a mother and my heart went out to Roxana and her parents every single day,” Clinton said in remarks this afternoon.

Saberi was freed from an Iranian prison after an appeals court threw out an espionage conviction in the wake of international pressure.

“When I found out that I had this support while I was in prison, I gained a lot of strength and hope and I didn’t feel so alone anymore,” Saberi said. “It’s wonderful to be back in the United States.”

Saberi, an occasional correspondent for National Public Radio, is expected to give her first formal interview to that outlet tomorrow.