By Mustafa Melih Ahishali
ISTANBUL (AA) – An Iranian court has sentenced one of the country’s former vice presidents to 63 years in prison, the ex-official reported on social media.
Hamid Baghaei was first vice president of Iran in 2009-2013 during the presidency of Mahmood Ahmadinejad.
“I was sentenced to 63 years in prison by the efforts of the head of Judicial Power, Amuli Laricani, ” Baghaei wrote on Telegram, a social media platform.
He claimed the decision was political.
Baghaei was arrested in June 2015 for failing to pay a $15 million fine for “financial crimes ” he was allegedly involved in during his tenure.
He was released pending trial in July after paying a reduced “security deposit ” worth $6.1 million.
