Shahram Jazayeri Released

Shahram Jazayeri, an Iranian businessman who was arrested on Saturday, August 7, in Mashhad, was released on Tuesday, August 15, on bail. Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabai, Jazayeri's lawyer, told Fars News Agency that 'bail is considered one of the lightest forms of security; therefore, there were no serious charges against my client.' Jazayeri also stated to the news agency that he currently cannot give an interview but denied being banned from speaking to the press. This Iranian businessman said, 'The judiciary is more gracious than to ban someone from giving interviews.' Jazayeri's lawyer also mentioned that his client was invited to Mashhad by Mohsen Pahlevan, the former CEO of Padideh Shandiz, 'to discuss a matter together, but he was arrested at the airport before meeting Pahlevan.' The Khorasan newspaper reported after Jazayeri's arrest that he had gone to Mashhad to speak at a conference titled 'Examining the Challenges Facing Padideh Company in Entering the Over-the-Counter Market and Securing Liquidity,' but he was arrested on charges of 'conspiracy to act against public security by disrupting order and disturbing public comfort.' Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the Attorney General of the country, stated on August 10 that Shahram Jazayeri was arrested 'to prevent the emergence of certain issues.' Shahram Jazayeri, a well-known figure in economic corruption in Iran, was released after serving an 11-year prison sentence in October 2014. He has resumed his economic activities after his release.