Iran to free ex-nuke official
Thursday, May 10, 2007
IRAN yesterday decided to free on bail a moderate former Iranian nuclear official after holding him in jail on national security-related charges for over a week.
Hossein Moussavian, a close ally of centrist former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, would be freed once he had mustered the necessary bail fee, a judiciary source said told AFP.
"The process of paying the bail sum is currently ongoing. However, according to the law, I cannot disclose the sum," said the official, who asked not to be named.
Iranian state media reported that the judiciary has decided that Moussavian's "temporary arrest has been changed to bail and as soon as he comes up with the bail money he will be freed".
Moussavian, the spokesman of a moderate negotiating team that served under reformist President Mohammad Khatami to 2005, was arrested on April 30. He was also ambassador to Germany during the Rafsanjani presidency.
Iranian Intelligence Minister Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie said late last Tuesday Moussavian was still being interrogated by their agents but predicted that the detention writ would be changed into bail.
Mohseni Ejeie added that Moussavian was in the "final stages of interrogation" at the section overseen by the intelligence ministry at Evin prison in Tehran. He described Moussavian's case as "security" related but refused to elaborate "until the investigations are complete".AFP
Hossein Moussavian, a close ally of centrist former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, would be freed once he had mustered the necessary bail fee, a judiciary source said told AFP.
"The process of paying the bail sum is currently ongoing. However, according to the law, I cannot disclose the sum," said the official, who asked not to be named.
Iranian state media reported that the judiciary has decided that Moussavian's "temporary arrest has been changed to bail and as soon as he comes up with the bail money he will be freed".
Moussavian, the spokesman of a moderate negotiating team that served under reformist President Mohammad Khatami to 2005, was arrested on April 30. He was also ambassador to Germany during the Rafsanjani presidency.
Iranian Intelligence Minister Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie said late last Tuesday Moussavian was still being interrogated by their agents but predicted that the detention writ would be changed into bail.
Mohseni Ejeie added that Moussavian was in the "final stages of interrogation" at the section overseen by the intelligence ministry at Evin prison in Tehran. He described Moussavian's case as "security" related but refused to elaborate "until the investigations are complete".AFP
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