WASHINGTON — The Trump administration attempted to restart a dialogue in December with Iranian officials on American prisoners being held in Iran, two senior State Department officials tell CNN.

When Undersecretary of State Tom Shannon was in Vienna for talks on the nuclear deal with Iran, he raised the issue of releasing Iranian-American Baquer Namazi, who was in poor health, as well as the issue of trying to restart a dialogue on other American prisoners, the officials said. Iran gave Namazi a four-day release but has not responded to the offer to hold talks on the prisoners, the officials said.

CNN previously reported that Shannon raised the health of Namazi at the Vienna meeting.

The Wall Street Journal first reported that the Trump administration was attempting talks about prisoners.

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