Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 30 /Trend T.Konyayeva, T.Jafarov/
Iranian Christian pastor Yousef Naderkhani, who was sentenced to death, is accused of rape and blackmail, Fars News Agency reported referring to a source in the judiciary. He is not sentenced because of his faith.
West uses "false" accusation of Naderkhani's turn to Christianity as a pretext to blame Iran, the source added.
Thirty-two-year old Nadarkhani became a pastor of a small evangelical community called the Church of Iran after converting from Islam at the age of 19.
Iranian authorities arrested him in 2009 and sentenced him to death under Islamic Sharia law in 2010.
Western countries claim that he is sentenced to be executed for apostasy.
The United States, Britain and France are among a host of countries who have previously called on Iran not to carry out the death penalty.
Earlier, on Thursday, the White House and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton urged Iran to release the pastor.