U.N agency , human rights groups rally to the cause of woman awaiting execution . They say she was a victim of sexual assault and killed her husband in self - defense in 2007 . The man who was killed was a member of Iran 's Interior Ministry . ` There was a lot of this type of guessing that suggested that the sentence may not be carried out if the people ( next of kin of the man killed ) agreed , '' said Judiciary spokesman Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei , according to semi-official Mehr News Agency . Under Iran 's Islamic law , the family of the slain man could agree to delay the execution .
U.N agency , human rights groups rally to the cause of woman awaiting execution . They say she was a victim of sexual assault and killed her husband in self - defense in 2007 . The man who was killed was a member of Iran 's Interior Ministry . Under Iran 's Islamic law , the family of the slain man could agree to delay the execution .