Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei approved a proposal to grant amnesty to a large number of Iranian prisoners on the occasion of the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Tasnim reported.

Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei agreed on Sunday to pardon or commute the sentences of Iranian convicts at the suggestion of Gholam judiciary chief Hossein Mohseni Ejei, who had asked the leader to pardon prisoners with special conditions.

The amnesty was announced on the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution that overthrew the Pahwali dynasty on February 11, 1979.

In his proposal, the head of the judiciary said that a number of convicts imprisoned after the recent unrest in Iran were deceived and committed offenses under the influence of an enemy propaganda campaign. The Chief Justice noted that a significant number of these prisoners regretted their crimes and asked for forgiveness after uncovering plots hatched by foreign enemies and anti-revolutionary and anti-people currents.

Convicts covered by the amnesty must not be charged with espionage for the benefit of outsiders, direct links with foreign secret services, murder or willful bodily injury, or vandalism or arson of government, military, or public facilities, nor must they be charged with a suit brought by a private plaintiff.

Article 110 of the Constitution grants the Chief Executive the right to pardon or commute sentences of convicted persons upon the recommendation of the head of the judiciary.

However, pardons do not apply to certain categories of convicted persons, including those convicted of participating in armed drug smuggling, arms trafficking, kidnapping, acid attacks, rape, armed robbery, bribery, embezzlement, counterfeiting, money laundering, economic subversion, smuggling of alcoholic beverages, and organized smuggling of goods.