Iran's clerical leader pardons over 1,000 prisoners
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has signed a decree pardoning 1,059 political, military and civilian prisoners over the Novruz holiday and the Day of the Islamic Republic, ISNA news agency reported on Monday.
The head of Iran's judiciary Sadeq Amoli Larijani appealed to Khamenei with a request to pardon 1,059 prisoners for Novruz holiday and the Day of the Islamic Republic.
Around 98.2 percent of Iranians voted to change the political system in the country during a nationwide referendum held on March 30-31, 1979.
As a result, Iran was declared a republic and the country became known as the Islamic Republic of Iran on April 1, 1979.
This event was preceded by the Islamic Revolution, which led to the overthrow of last Iranian Shah - Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in February 1979.