Son of Iran’s former president begins 10-year jail time period

In March, Mehdi Hashemi was handed prison sentences totaling 25 years for national security, fraud, and embezzlement crimes in a trial he insists was politically motivated.

The 45-year-old was also ordered to pay undisclosed fines and financial penalties, and was barred from holding public office.

Iranian media said he had arrived at Evin Prison in Tehran where he read a statement to reporters demanding that recordings of his trial be released.

Announcing the news, Hashemi’s lawyer Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaei said since the defendants had withdrawn a retrial appeal, Hashemi was going to jail the very day, Mehr news agency reported August 9.

“For all his charges, Mehdi Hashemi will serve only a single longest term of sentence of 10 years in prison”, he added.

The elder Rafsanjani, a senior cleric who served as president from 1989-1997, is now the head of the Expediency Council, which resolves disputes between the elected parliament and the Guardian Council, an appointed body that interprets the constitution. His public support was one major reason why moderate President Hassan Rouhani won Iran’s 2013 presidential election.

He gave up the united states for roughly several years when 2009 presidential elections and had to back on two functions on problem additional costs after to be returned to Iran.

The son of the Iranian ex-president was arrested upon his arrival in Tehran from the UK, where he lived for three years.