Iran President Ahmadinejad barred from visiting close ally in Tehran prison

October 22, 2012 | World News | Written by

London, Oct 22: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been barred from visiting a close aide in Evin prison in Tehran.

The aide was imprisoned there while the president was in New York last month.

According to the BBC, a judicial official said the visit was not appropriate at a time when Iran faced pressing economic problems.

“As we are faced with special circumstances and the country’s priorities are the economy and people’s living conditions, all authorities should focus on solving key issues… visiting a prison is extraneous,” the state-run media quoted chief prosecutor Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie, as saying.

“More than seven years of his presidency have passed, and no request was made during that time,” he added.

According to the report, Ejeie indicated that Ahmadinejad’s desire to visit the prison was linked to ‘a person affiliated to (the government) in prison,’ apparently a reference to presidential press advisor Ali Akbar Javanfekr.

Javanfekr was arrested for allegedly insulting Iranian leaders. (ANI)