Tehran - Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ordered the release of Tehran's mayor from jail yesterday following a request from President Mohammad Khatami, state television reported.
The report said Ayatollah Khamenei, the Islamic republic's most senior official, ordered the conservative head of the judiciary, Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi, to free Mr Gholam-Hossein Karbaschi. Mr Karbaschi, a leading moderate and supporter of Mr Khatami, was arrested on April 4th on corruption charges which his supporters say are fabricated.
In a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei, Mr Khatami said investigations of the corruption scandal in the Tehran municipality and the arrest 11 days ago of the mayor had "created problems for the administration of the country which could cause political, social and economic problems".