Intelligence Minister: Iran to Release More Security-Related Prisoners

Iranian intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi-Tabar announced on Wednesday that Iran plans to release more prisoners who have been convicted for security-related charges, after the country’s judiciary released several political inmates earlier this month.
The Iranian intelligence minister said more of such prisoners will be released on October 24 concurrent with the Muslim feast of Ghadir Khum.

Ghadir Khum was an oasis on the way between Mecca and Medina where Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny), coming back from his last Hajj pilgrimage, gathered all the thousands of the Muslims accompanying him to tell them that God Almighty has appointed Imam Ali (AS) as his successor and actually the leader of the Muslim nation after him. Since then Muslims celebrate Ghadir Khum every year.

The Iranian intelligence minister pointed to the clemency granted by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei to 80 Iranian prisoners earlier this week, and said, “The freedom of these prisoners has happened in the past and it will also continue in future too.”

Iran’s Judiciary Spokesman and Prosecutor-General Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeii announced on Monday that Ayatollah Khamenei has agreed with granting clemency to a sum of 80 convicts, including a number of convicts who were imprisoned due to their roles in the 2009 post-election unrests.

The pardon was made at the request of the country’s Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani.

Earlier this month, Ayatollah Khamenei said he has long held the belief in “heroic flexibility” in both domestic and foreign policy, but cautioned that the tactic which is very necessary on some occasions should only be practiced after one gathers deep insight about the nature of his/her foreign rivals.