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Iran Frees Rafsanjani Grandson On Bail

March 23, 2010

Iran has released a grandson of former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani after he expressed "regret" for taking part in postelection protests, according to a semiofficial news agency.

Fars news agency quotes Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi as saying that Hassan Lahouti "was released from prison on bail."

Hassan Lahouti was detained by security police on March 21 at Tehran airport after arriving on a flight from abroad.

His grandfather, who currently heads the powerful Assembly of Experts, is an important player within the ruling establishment who expressed support for reformist candidate Mir Hossein Musavi ahead of the disputed June presidential election.

Rafsanjani has been criticized by Ahmadinejad supporters for what they said was his failure to give full backing to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the crackdown on the protest movement last year.

Rafsanjani has played down any perceived differences.

However, Rafsanjani's daughter, Faezeh Hashemi, was quoted recently as describing her father as someone who "can be considered a member of the [opposition] Green Movement."

compiled from Reuters reports

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/Iran_Frees_Rafsanjani_ Grandson_On_Bail/1991864.html

Copyright (c) 2010. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.