UAE releases 25 Iranian prisoners

The United Arab Emirates has released 25 Iranian prisoners held for different charges, a senior Iranian official announced. “The 25 inmates held in UAE prisons were granted clemency on the occasion of Eid al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice),” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary and Expatriates' Affairs Hassan Qashqavi said on Saturday. The Iranian diplomat reiterated that the release of Iranian nationals was secured through the efforts by the Iranian foreign ministry, Tehran’s Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Iranian Consulate in the Dubai as well as cooperation of the Emirati officials. In a similar move in July, the UAE government decided to release a number of Iranian nationals held in the country's prisons on different charges. The government of the UAE granted clemency to 77 Iranian nationals imprisoned in the country on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan. An official in charge of the affairs of imprisoned Iranian citizens at Iran’s Consulate in Dubai received the names the individuals and made the required arrangements for transferring them to Iran. Most of the 77 Iranian nationals have been jailed over charges of drug abuse. Forty four of the mentioned individuals were imprisoned in Dubai, 14 in Ras al-Khaimah, 10 in Sharjah and 9 in Ajman.