The Tehran Prosecutor has announced the approval of a furlough for Mohammadreza Rahimi, the former vice president who began serving a five-year prison sentence on corruption charges just two weeks ago.

The prosecutor’s office reportedly has approved a one-week leave because the prisoner’s wife is suffering from a terminal disease and is currently in hospital.

Mohammadreza Rahimi received a medal of honour from then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his service as the head of financial corruption headquarters.

Rahimi has said the public monies he is accused of taking were used to finance a number of parliamentary candidates in the last election to influence the makeup of Parliament in favour of the Ahmadinejad government.

Radio Zamaneh