Cindy Hickey, Nora Shourd and Laura Fattal arrived in New York Sunday after receiving visas last week.
The mothers said Monday they are grateful to Iran for issuing the travel documents and call it "an encouraging development." The mothers say they are overjoyed that they will soon be able to hug their children, but are afraid they will be returning home without them.
Hickey's son, Shane Bauer, his girlfriend, Sarah Shourd, and their friend Josh Fattal were arrested along the Iraqi border last July and accused by Iran of spying. Relatives and the U.S. government have denied the accusations.
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