Tehran (DPA) – Former Iranian nuclear negotiator Hossein Moussavian might face a jail term of up to 10 years after his arrest last month on espionage charges, Iranian news agency Fars reported Tuesday.
Moussavian, a former ambassador to Germany during the 1980s, was arrested on charges of ‘connections to foreign elements and transfer of information to them.’
Fars quoted intelligence service chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni- Ejehi as saying that if the charges were proven, Moussavian could be sentenced to a 10-year jail term.
During the second term of Mohammed Khatami’s presidency (2001- 2005), Moussavian was the number two man in Iran’s National Security Council – the main body in charge for nuclear negotiations – after Hassan Rowhani, predecessor of current chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani.
He was released in mid-May from the notorious Evin prison in northern Tehran on bail amounting to more than 200,000 dollars.
Fars further quoted Mohseni-Ejehi as saying that as far as the intelligence service was concerned Moussavian was guilty, but the final decision would be up to the relevant judge.