Sharam Rafizadeh

The war of words between spokespersons for the judiciary and the Ahmadinejad administration ‎over the spying scandal of former nuclear negotiator reached its climax yesterday with ‎Mousavian's acquittal. As a judiciary spokesperson was telling reporters that Hossein ‎Mousavian "… had been acquitted of spying and keeping financial documents, but was ‎convicted of engaging in propaganda against the regime," a government spokesperson was ‎declaring at a press conference, "We believe that an open trial must be held in this matter to shed ‎light on all issues." ‎

Judiciary spokesman Ali Reza Jamshidi told reporters, "There were three charges against ‎Mousavian: Spying, keeping classified documents and propagating against the state. He was ‎found not guilty of the first two but found guilty of engaging in propaganda against the state.." ‎

Mousavian received a suspended sentence for the third charge against him. However, Jamshidi ‎noted, "He may face a criminal sentence if the prosecutor objects to the court's decision."‎

Jamshidi added, "When a case reaches this stage, it must be approved by the prosecutor, who has ‎the right to object. If he is in agreement [with the court's decision], it is over; if not, the case is ‎sent back to court with the prosecutor's objections." ‎

And this is how Tehran's infamous prosecutor general, Saeed Mortazavi, entered the scene. ‎Exactly one hour into the announcement of Mousavian's acquittal, hardliner Fars News Agency, ‎affiliated with the security and intelligence establishment iu Iran, quoted an "informed judiciary ‎official" as saying, "the prosecutor can object to the judge's handling of this case." ‎

This "informed judiciary official" added, "the court cannot acquit Mousavian yet because the ‎verdict is enforceable only after the prosecutor signs it." ‎

The involvement of Ahmadinejad and his administration in this case has angered many ‎prominent figures in the conservative faction. In the latest reaction, Ali Akbar Nateq Nouri, ‎senior advisor to the supreme leader Ali Khamenei, announced that "accusations brought against ‎Mousavian are not true." ‎

Noting that, "It is wrong and contrary to regime's interest to prejudge and insist on accusing ‎people, especially prominent national figures such as Mousavian," Nateq Nouri added, ‎‎"Mousavian is one of the revolution's oldest managers who has performed his sensitive and ‎diverse duties very well. Even if there are questions about some of his actions, such questions ‎must be answered by a fair and legal process, and no one other than the judiciary is qualified to ‎convict people of guilt." ‎

Ahmadinejad and other government officials have referred to Mousavian as "A treacherous ‎element" and "enemy agent" on several occasions. ‎

Just last week, Ahmadinejad told reporters, "After we arrested an individual on spying charges, ‎they put extreme pressures on the judge to acquit the spy. But I announce right here that the ‎Iranian people will now allow individuals and groups to use their political and economic ‎influence to save criminals from justice." ‎

Given such remarks, analysts believe that Mousavian's acquittal is an embarrassing defeat for ‎Ahmadinejad’s administration.‎