An American-born journalist imprisoned on espionage charges in Iran for four months was freed May 11 and reunited with her parents — a move that clears a major obstacle to U.S. President Barack Obama's attempts at dialogue with the top U.S. adversary in the Middle East.

The United States had said the charges against Roxana Saberi, a 32-year-old, dual Iranian-American citizen, were baseless and repeatedly demanded her release.

Her release came when an Iranian appeals court reduced her eight-year prison sentence on charges of spying for the United States to a two-year suspended sentence, said Iranian judiciary spokesman Ali Reza Jamshidi. He said Saberi was free to leave Iran.

Saberi's Iranian-born father, Reza Saberi, and his wife, Akiko, of Japanese origin, arrived at Tehran's Evin prison — notorious for holding political prisoners — to meet their daughter.