Authorities deny travel restrictions for Khatami

Intelligence Minister, Heydar Moslehi

Iranian Minister of Intelligence announced that former president Mohammad Khatami is under no travel restrictions by the Islamic Republic.

He maintained that the judiciary is in charge of issuing such travel restrictions and arrest warrants.

Former president and opposition leader Mohammad Khatami was supposed to attend an international conference of nuclear disarmament in Japan last Thursday but he was impeded from leaving the country.

Mohammadreza Tabesh, head of the Minority Faction of the Parliament told ILNA that a government official had contacted the office of the former president informing them that they will stop him from travelling abroad.

Tabesh goes on to say that despite this warning Mr. Khatami intended to continue with his travel plans until he was contacted by a police official and thus the travel plans were scrapped.

Mohammadreza Tabesh added; “The police official politely informed me that they have received orders that Mr. Khatami is under a travel ban.”

Mr. Tabesh called on the Minister of Intelligence to investigate who and which institutions have committed this act "against the interests of the country.”

The Minister of Intelligence, Heydar Molslehi confirmed the issuance of an arrest warrant for Mehdi Hashemi, son of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, head of Iran’s Expediency Council.

He maintained that Iranian authorities will take action regarding this arrest in good time.

Kalameh website reports that Mehdi Hashemi has also called on the judiciary to stop such “sensationalism” from undermining the judicial system and warned of the day that he might run out of patience and reveal “unsaid truths” about such plots.

He added that he is willing to appear in a “competent” court to defend himself and expects that his own lawsuits against those who have engaged in “character assassination” of himself and his family get due process.

Mehdi Hashemi has been accused of being involved in the post-election turmoil. He is currently residing in Britain.