Iran’s top leader has pardoned thousands of prisoners, including foreigners and people accused of anti-state crimes

Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has pardoned or commuted the sentences of nearly 3,000 prisoners following a written request from the head of the judiciary, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, the Iranian news agency Tasnim reported on Friday.

He escaped an assassination bid in June 1981 during his address in a mosque. The bomb was hidden inside a tape recorder that exploded. In the incident, his right arm was paralysed. It was noted that ant-clerical opposition Forqan Group was responsible for the attack.

Mr Khamenei agreed to pardon and commute the sentences of 2,887 prisoners following a proposal from judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejeh, state-run IRNA reported on Friday. The pardons were granted on the occasion of the birth anniversary celebrations of Prophet Mohammed and Shia scholar Jafar al-Sadiq.