TEHRAN -- Information Minister Hojjatoleslam Ali Younessi stressed Monday that the court hearing sessions of those involved in the serial killings should be held behind closed doors.

Younessi who was in Shahr-e Kord to take part in a "meeting on the unity and national security in the Year of Imam Ali (AS)" told a gathering of reporters that the defendants' trial sessions must not be held openly to prevent their recognition, adding that all the officials are emphasizing the necessity of their closed trial.

Younessi's remarks comes following the protest of some pro-government officials against the Judiciary for holding the trial in camera. They have called for pen trial sessions. However, this time Younessi who can be considered as the spokesman of the government in the serial murder case insisted that the trial should be held in camera.

As the legal proceedings of the 18 Information Ministry agents involved in the case are not yet finished and no verdict has yet been handed down by the court, it is not necessary to allow others to know the defendants by face, Younessi stated.

He said the court would also prefer to hold the trial sessions of the accused behind the closed doors due to security reasons.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the minister condemned the mischievous acts against Iran's Islamic system by the terrorist Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) which he said had claimed the responsibility of their terrorist acts against the Islamic system.