Iran says detained U.S. hikers may be swapped

Missing American hiker Josh Fattal (R) is seen here with his mother Laura Fattal in this undated photo released by freethehikers.org, August 20, 2009. Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd have been detained in Iran since July 31, when the trio inadvertently strayed across the border on a hiking excursion in Iraq, their family members said.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday three U.S. citizens detained in Iran and charged with spying may be swapped with jailed Iranians in the United States.

"We do not like to have any person in jail. Some discussions are going on to swap the three with jailed Iranians in America," Ahmadinejad told state television. He did not clarify whether the discussions were held with U.S. officials.

The three were detained after they strayed into Iran from northern Iraq at the end of July, further complicating relations between Tehran and Washington that were already deadlocked over Iran's nuclear program.

Iran said last year it believed 11 Iranians were being detained in the United States, including a missing nuclear scientist and a former deputy defense minister who disappeared in 2007.

Iran has said that the three Americans would be put on trial, without giving a date.

The United States, which cut diplomatic ties with Iran shortly after its 1979 Islamic revolution, says the charges are totally unfounded and the hikers should be released. Under Iran's Islamic law, espionage can be punishable by death.

Last year in November, Iran's judiciary announced espionage charges against the three -- Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27. Their families said they were hiking and had strayed across the border accidentally.

The two countries are now embroiled in a row over Iran's nuclear program, which the West suspects is aimed at making bombs. Tehran denies this.

The case comes after Iranian officials accused foreign nations of fuelling unrest following a disputed presidential election last year.

Ahmadinejad's re-election in June sparked Iran's worst unrest since the revolution. Hardline authorities deny vote-rigging.

Clotilde Reiss, a French teaching assistant, was arrested in Iran on spying charges last year in July in connection with the post-vote unrest. She was released on bail in August but not allowed to leave the country.

(Additional reporting by Hossein Jaseb and Reza Derakhshi, Writing by Parisa Hafezi, Editing by Richard Williams)