Security forces have raided the office of Iran’s top opposition leader and seized computers after days of intimidating visitors with a heavy force presence around the building.

An American woman released by Iran after more than a year in prison flew out of the country tonight to the nearby Gulf nation of Oman to be reunited with her mother.

A senior Iranian prosecutor said today that authorities will release a jailed American woman on $500,000 (€393,000) bail because of health problems, another sudden about-face by Iran in a case that has added to tension with the United States.

IRAN said yesterday it would try three Americans jailed since crossing the border from Iraq in July, a step certain to aggravate the US at a time when Tehran is locked in a standoff with the West over its nuclear programme.