Jailed German reporters meet with families in Iran

Tensions between Germany and Iran eased on Tuesday after foreign minister Guido Westerwelle thanked his Iranian counterpart for quickly arranging two imprisoned German journalists to see their families.

"The two German citizens have met with their loved ones in Tabriz," Westerwelle said, expressing his gratitude to Tehran, according to a ministry spokesperson.

Germany was still pressing for the pair's release, he said.

The reporters from German Sunday tabloid Bild am Sonntag were arrested in mid-October after entering the Islamic Republic on a tourist visa.

They had tried to interview the son of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a woman sentenced to death by stoning for adultery, in a case has drawn global outrage and highlighted continued concerns about Iran's human rights record.

Westerwelle summoned the Iranian ambassador to his foreign ministry on Monday in protest after they were not allowed to meet their families over Christmas as promised.

Later that day, Iran's foreign minister agreed to quickly arrange the families to meet the two reporters in Tabriz.