DUSHANBE, August 7, Asia-Plus — The Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe has delivered a statement with regard to recent reports released in some media about two Iranian nationals imprisoned in Tajikistan and seeking political asylum.

The statement, in particular, said that the Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe had received information through official channels that Mir-Mehdi Mousavi and Asad Haidari, who are currently serving their sentences in a penal colony in the Yovon district, are citizens of Iran.  However, their Iranian belonging has not yet been confirmed documentarily, according to the statement said.   

According to the existing data, there is no any document or argument that would confirm their involvement in political activity in Iran, said the statement. 

The only information about Mr. Mir-Mehdi Mousavi is that he fled Iran following complaints lodged by his wife about his frauds. 

“As far as their conversion to other religion is concerned, it is a personal belief and under the Iranian legislation, nobody is persecuted for religious beliefs and even expression of them,” the statement said, adding that protection of its citizens in any point throughout the world is one of components of Iran’s foreign policy. 

“If the mentioned persons do want to return to their homeland, Iran will not insist on deportation of them,” the statement said.      

We will recall that two Iranian nationals imprisoned in Tajikistan, Mir-Mehdi Mousavi and Asad Haidari, have asked the Tajik government and international organizations to helm them obtain political asylum.  They said that they had converted to Christianity and been involved in political activity in Iran, and that their pending deportation to Iran would put their lives in danger.