The minister of intelligence of Iran announced that Mousavian (a former member of Iran’s negotiations team on the nuclear issue) is a spy and that the evidence was clear and final.

This news was announced by the reporter on the Majlis National Security Council Committee after intelligence minister Ezhei appeared in the Majlis to respond to questions raised by the Majlis committee on foreign affairs and national security.

According to ISNA student news agency, Kazem Jalali said, “The Minister of Intelligence appeared in the Majlis to respond to questions raised by 27 Majlis deputies. The deputies asked for an explanation for releasing Mousavian from prison on an unproportional bail while anti security charges of Mousavian have not yet been confirmed. Other questions were about the measures that the ministry has taken regarding the suspect’s access to state classified information, whether authorities in the center for strategic studies belonging to the State Expediency Council have been informed of his activities, and what has the ministry does in dealing with the issue.

Jalali continued, “The minister of intelligence in this regard said that from the perspective of the ministry, the charges brought against Mousavian and his crime were clear, but they were not the judge to pass this conclusion on. About Mousavian appearing at his job, the minister said that the suspect went to his job for a few days after his release, but stopped going after he was given notice on this, while he has not gone any where else where he may have access to state secrets.”

According to Jalali, the minister of intelligence had said that Mousavian’s superiors had been informed of the matter, while Mousavian claimed during his interrogation that he had not been told about the matter by anyone.

Mousavian who was the spokesperson of Iran’s former negotiations team in the nuclear issue and subsequently became the deputy director of the center for research on strategic studies belonging to the State Expediency Council and was arrested in May on charges of espionage for foreign states.

Initially Majlis members had taken a critical and questioning attitude towards this arrest, but later on Mousavian’s release were critical of the 200 million Toman bail that was set for him. At the same time, Majlis deputies have drafted a bill that raises the punishment for espionage. Currently the maximum punishment is 10 years imprisonment.