Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has pardoned an aide to President Mahmud Ahmadinejad who was arrested in 2011 on corruption charges.
Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh's arrest last year came following his appointment as deputy foreign minister, an incident which led to impeachment threats against the head of the Foreign Ministry, Akbar Salehi.
Sharifzadeh, who is said to be close to controversial presidential Chief of Staff Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, resigned from his post amid the scandal.
He was recently appointed as an adviser to President Mahmud Ahmadinejad after serving a brief jail term.
Tehran Prosecutor General Abbas Dolatabadi said on May 6 that Sharifzadeh’s case was ready to be prosecuted when Khamenei granted him “clemency.”
Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh's arrest last year came following his appointment as deputy foreign minister, an incident which led to impeachment threats against the head of the Foreign Ministry, Akbar Salehi.
Sharifzadeh, who is said to be close to controversial presidential Chief of Staff Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, resigned from his post amid the scandal.
He was recently appointed as an adviser to President Mahmud Ahmadinejad after serving a brief jail term.
Tehran Prosecutor General Abbas Dolatabadi said on May 6 that Sharifzadeh’s case was ready to be prosecuted when Khamenei granted him “clemency.”