Close associate of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and of his chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahim Mashai has been arrested by Iranian authorities.

The arrest of Hojjatoleslam Abbas Amirifar, who heads the president’s Cultural Council, was confirmed by a number of Iranian websites, including Khabar-on-line and Jahan News as well as the Campaign for Human rights in Iran.

The Campaign cites “an informed source” saying that Revolutionary Guards officials arrested Amirifar on Sunday.

He was reportedly summoned to the prosecutor’s office by phone. He had dismissed the call because a summons has to be delivered in writing. So yesterday the officials arrested him at his home.

Amirifar’s arrest comes on the heels of Ahmadinejad’s return to cabinet meetings, following his nine-day boycott of official duties. The boycott began when the Supreme Leader overruled the president’s decision to accept the resignation of his intelligence minister, insideofiran.org reported.