Former Iran vice president jailed over corruption charges

The former vice president of Iran, Mohammad Reza Rahimi, who was sentenced to a little over five years in prison for corruption, was transferred to a jail Sunday, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported.

According to a verdict by the Iran's Supreme Court in January, Rahimi is to spend five years and 91 days in prison. He was taken to the Evin prison, north of Tehran, Sunday for serving his term.

Rahimi, the first vice president under former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was also fined 10 billion rials (about $364,000) for corruption and ordered to return 8.5 billion rials ($308,040) worth of goods.

Rahimi had appealed against a former verdict, which convicted him to 15 years in jail.

The Court of Appeal reviewed the case and after a second appeal, the case was forwarded to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court reduced the prison term and confirmed the new verdict of five years and 91 days.

Rahimi was charged with embezzlement from the Iran Insurance Company.