( CNN ) -- Sarah Shourd , one of three American hikers held in Iran for more than a year , will be released Saturday , Iranian officials said Thursday . An official at Iran 's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance said earlier Thursday that one of the three would be freed this weekend , after the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan , without specifying which one . But Bak Sahraei , a representative for the Iranian mission to the United Nations , told CNN that Shourd was designated for release `` very soon . '' The Culture Ministry official said one of Iran 's vice presidents will be present when the hiker is released at 9 a.m. Saturday . Shourd , along with Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal , were detained July 31 , 2009 , after they allegedly strayed across an unmarked border into Iran while hiking in Iraq 's Kurdistan region . Tehran has said the three hikers were spies , and Iran 's intelligence minister has hinted the country may consider releasing them in exchange for the release of Iranian prisoners , according to state news outlets . Masoud Shafii , the Iranian lawyer who represents the hikers , said he has put in a formal request for the trio 's release within the past two weeks . Shafii said he told prosecutors that a year had passed since their arrests and the government had not shown any just cause for their imprisonment , and that Shourd has a medical condition that requires proper care . After the news first broke Thursday , the mothers of all three said they had seen the reports and were `` urgently seeking further information . '' `` We hope and pray that the reports are true and that this signals the end of all three of our children 's long and difficult detention , '' Cindy Hickey , Nora Shourd and Laura Fattal said in a joint statement . `` Shane , Sarah and Josh are all innocent and we continue to call for their immediate release , so that they can return home together and be reunited with our families . '' Upon release , Shourd would be leaving her fiance behind in prison . The families announced in spring that Shourd and Bauer got engaged in prison and plan to be married when they 're both released . In Washington , State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters , `` We do n't know , frankly , what Iran is contemplating at this point . '' He said the United States was making inquiries through the Swiss government , which represents U.S. interests in Tehran . `` Obviously , if this turns out to be true , this is terrific news , '' Toner said . `` The hikers ' release is long overdue , and I would just stress that we hope that it 's all three hikers . '' CNN 's Shirzad Borzorgmehr , Joe Vaccarello , Reza Sayah and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report .
NEW : Jailed hiker Sarah Shourd to be freed `` very soon , '' Iran says . Iranian official says release is scheduled for Saturday morning . The Associated Press contributed to this report.