Aussie bloggers Jolie King, Mark Firkin are home, but fight goes on to free Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert

Australian travel bloggers Jolie King and Mark Firkin will now sleep in their own beds — but the government won’t rest with its bid to free Melbourne Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert from the same Iran jail.

Australian travel bloggers Jolie King and Mark Firkin will now sleep in their own beds after being released from the hell of Iran’s notorious Evin Prison.

The pair was arrested on trumped up spying charges three months ago for flying a drone near a military base during their travels in Iran.

Australian embassy staff, who were seen at the prison this week, helped secure their release in a coup for Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

Now diplomatic efforts will continue towards the release of University of Melbourne Academic Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who has been held in solitary confinement for almost a year in the same jail.

Jolie King and Mark Firkin are back in Australia.

She was sentenced to 10 years’ for espionage charges that Australia does not accept.

Dr Moore-Gilbert, an expert of Islamic studies, has only been granted limited visits from embassy staff and her family has been denied access.

Ms King and Mr Firkin, from Perth, were due to arrive in Australia Saturday afternoon.

They said they wanted to get back to “normal lives.”

Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert is still in jail, she has studied Middle Eastern politics and lectures at the University of Melbourne. Picture: The Modern Middle East, YouTube.

“We are extremely happy and relieved to be safely back in Australia with those we love,” the couple said in a joint statement.

“While the past few months have been very difficult, we know it has also been tough for those back home who have been worried for us.

Jolie King was seized with her Australia boyfriend Mark Firkin, allegedly for flying a drone without a licence near the capital Tehran. Picture: Supplied/ Instagram

“We are grateful for the efforts of the Australian Government in helping secure our release, and we thank our family and friends for their love and support.”

The couple had been travelling around the world for two years before they were arrested, detailing their adventures on their Instagram page, which now has 28,000 followers, and a YouTube channel, The Way Overland.

Some of the spectacular footage they posted was taken using a drone.

Senator Payne announced the couple’s release saying that all criminal charges against them had been dropped.

“The government has worked very hard through diplomatic channels for some time to secure their release as well to ensure they were treated appropriately while detained,” she said.

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Jolie King was seized with her Australia boyfriend Mark Firkin. Picture: Supplied/ Instagram

Iran has been taking political prisoners for years, with claims they have been used as bargaining chips during negotiations with Western countries in prisoner swaps.

Iranian national Negar Ghodskani was arrested in Australia in 2017 and extradited to the United States over claims she was helping Iran breach sanctions.

Ghodskani, 40, was released from jail in the United States last week, with a Minneapolis judge sentencing her to time already served.

The court hearing coincided with the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Reza Dehbashi Kivi, an Iranian PHD student, returned to Iran after 13 months in prison in Australia because of helping Iranian missile programme, Manoto TV reported.

“It seems Mr Dehbashi is part of the swap deal between Tehran-Canberra too,” Manoto TV’s Pouria Zeraati tweeted.

Kylie Moore-Gilbert who is currently detained in Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had publicly raised the idea of prisoner swaps earlier this year.

Dr Moore-Gilbert’s situation was “complex”, Ms Payne added.

“She has been detained for some considerable time, and has faced the Iranian legal system and has been convicted and sentenced … we are continuing our discussions with the Iranian government and we do not accept the charges upon which she was convicted and we would seek to have her returned to Australia,” Senator Payne said.

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Originally published as Aussie bloggers Jolie King, Mark Firkin are home, but fight goes on to free Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert