Iran arrests Ahmadinejad ally after burning 15-year court sentence
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, a confidant of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was arrested by Iranian authorities in Tehran on Saturday.
The lawyer for Mashaei, Mehran Abdallahpour, told the country's semi-official ILNA news agency that his client was arrested on Saturday evening outside his home, but "I do not know the reason."
Abdallahpour suspected that the arrest was related to Baghaei burning a court verdict's sentence for Hamad Baghaei, also an Ahmadinejad ally.
In front of the British embassy in Tehran on Thursday, Mashaei burnt a copy of the 15-year sentence for Baghaei for embezzlement of public funds and illegal business transactions, while vice president during Ahmadinejad's tenure.
Former President Ahmadinejad repeatedly criticized Iranian officials, including Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, the current head of the judiciary, outside of the courthouse in Tehran during the trial.
Mashaie was two-term Ahmadinejad's chief-of-staff before the administration was forced to step down in 2013 by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for being too close to the West.
Ahmadinejad called Mashaie "pure, courageous, and revolutionary," in a statement reported by AFP.
"His arrest is clearly a violation of the constitution... that confirms the need for fundamental reforms within the judiciary," stated Ahmadinejad.
The lawyer for Mashaei, Mehran Abdallahpour, told the country's semi-official ILNA news agency that his client was arrested on Saturday evening outside his home, but "I do not know the reason."
Abdallahpour suspected that the arrest was related to Baghaei burning a court verdict's sentence for Hamad Baghaei, also an Ahmadinejad ally.
In front of the British embassy in Tehran on Thursday, Mashaei burnt a copy of the 15-year sentence for Baghaei for embezzlement of public funds and illegal business transactions, while vice president during Ahmadinejad's tenure.
Former President Ahmadinejad repeatedly criticized Iranian officials, including Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, the current head of the judiciary, outside of the courthouse in Tehran during the trial.
Ahmadinejad and Baghaie each tried to run in last year's presidential election, but were rejected by the ultra-conservative Guardian Council.
Mashaie was two-term Ahmadinejad's chief-of-staff before the administration was forced to step down in 2013 by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for being too close to the West.
Ahmadinejad called Mashaie "pure, courageous, and revolutionary," in a statement reported by AFP.
"His arrest is clearly a violation of the constitution... that confirms the need for fundamental reforms within the judiciary," stated Ahmadinejad.