Iranian President's brother released on bail

Tehran, July 18: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's brother has been released on bail after he was arrested for alleged financial crimes, state-run IRNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

Hossein Fereydoun, who was freed on Monday evening, had to pay 500 billion rials ($15.3 million) bail, government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht told IRNA.

Fereydoun was summoned on Sunday for the alleged financial crimes. Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejeie said Fereydoun and other related people were subjected to "multiple investigations".

Fereydoun was previously accused by the head of the General Inspection Organisation of Iran of involvement in cases of financial corruption connected to banks.

For months, conservatives called for the arrest of Fereydoun, who is also an adviser to Rouhani, and whose case was used against the Iranian leader in recent presidential debates.