Iran releases 85,000 prisoners to curb coronavirus spread

Mr Esmaili did not say if those pardoned would include Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe or US Navy veteran Michael White, imprisoned more than a year ago for insulting Iran's supreme leader. Iran had 189,500 people in prison, according to a UN report submitted to the Human Rights Council in January. Among them are believed to be hundreds who were arrested during or after anti-government protests in November.