TEHRAN, Iran - Iranian authorities freed yesterday an American university lecturer jailed since July on suspicion of espionage, a prosecutor's office spokesman said.
Dariush Zahedi, an Iranian-born American citizen who lectures at University of California-Berkeley, was freed after his relatives posted bail of $250,000, Mohammad Shadabi said yesterday. He gave no further details.
A close friend of Zahedi, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the lecturer was free to leave Iran but was required to return to stand possible trial. He said Zahedi appeared healthy and fine after being released.
Zahedi was taken to Evin prison, north of Tehran, on July 10 on suspicion of espionage activities while visiting relatives in Iran.
Mohsen Mirdamadi, who heads the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, charged last week that hard-line judiciary officials had refused to release Zahedi despite requests from Iran's Intelligence Ministry.
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