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Iran today made a surprise release of nearly a dozen prominent political prisoners, including award-winning human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, on the eve of President Hassan Rouhani's聽first-ever address to聽the United Nations in New York.聽

The release of prisoners held on security charges is the latest signal by 滨谤补苍鈥檚聽new centrist聽government that it aims to fulfill its promises to improve personal freedoms at home and engage the US and the West on nuclear and other issues abroad.

The release resonates聽particularly strongly聽inside Iran, where it appeared to mark a first clear act of dismantling what analysts have called the 鈥渟ecuritization鈥� of the country: a process that gave increasing power to internal security forces, beginning with the 2005 election of arch-conservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and deepening appreciably after his fraud-tainted 2009 reelection and its violent aftermath.

Mr. Rouhani has called his shocking mid-June victory over a slate of conservative candidates the 鈥渂eginning of a new chapter,鈥� with expectations that the 鈥渆ra of sorrow is coming to an end.鈥� Thousands of Iranians thronged streets across the country to celebrate Rouhani鈥檚 win.

In his first interview with US media since his election, Rouhani today聽told NBC聽News' Ann Curry聽in Tehran that a letter he received from President Barack Obama was 鈥減ositive and constructive.鈥澛�

"It could be subtle and tiny steps for a very important future,鈥� Rouhani said. 鈥淚 believe the leaders in all countries could think in their national interest and they should not be under the influence of pressure groups. I hope to witness such an atmosphere in the future."

The securitized state became 鈥渢oo counterproductive for the [Islamic regime] at home and abroad,鈥� says an Iranian analyst in Tehran who asked not to be further identified.

鈥淭he Islamic Republic needs legitimacy and is and was a regime that has relied on [the support of] people鈥檚 votes,鈥� says the analyst. 鈥淭here are many people聽who may not like聽the regime but in the election they vote because many things connect them to the state. Losing people after the 2009 election has damaged the regime strongly and hugely.鈥�

Ms. Sotoudeh was serving a six-year sentence for 鈥渁cting against national security." Last October she won the European parliament鈥檚 top human rights award, the Sakharov prize, which has also been awarded to globally renowned leaders Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi.

Sotoudeh defended some of the hundreds arrested for involvement in the 2009 events, and she last year staged a 49-day hunger strike.聽Inside Iran, her release聽prompted speculation that 滨谤补苍鈥檚 most recognized opposition politicians would also soon be freed after years of house arrest, an act that would transform the political space inside the country.

鈥淢y goals and mentality are the same as before, I haven鈥檛 changed,鈥� Sotoudeh told The Guardian of London today in a phone interview after her release. She vowed to continue her work 鈥渢o restore justice and defend the rights of prisoners.鈥�

Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi,聽2009 presidential candidates, were accused by Iranian hardliners of聽seeking to聽overthrow the regime when they claimed election fraud and led the opposition 鈥淕reen Movement鈥� to protest. Pro-regime security forces cracked down, with scores killed during months of street clashes.

The freedom of these two men will be a聽strong indicator of聽how much reform is possible under the new president. Rouhani said in June that he was 鈥渃onfident鈥� of their eventual release, but at 鈥渢he right time.鈥�

Some of those prisoners freed today were active in Mr. Mousavi鈥檚 election campaign, as well as former officials under reformist President Mohammad Khatami.

Iran has frequently been targeted by the US and Europe for its poor human rights record. In March 2011, months after Sotoudeh鈥檚 imprisonment, US President Barack Obama said in his annual message聽to Iranians that 鈥渇or nearly two years, there has been a campaign of intimidation and abuse.鈥� Mr. Obama said 鈥渉undreds of prisoners of conscience鈥� were in Iranian jails, and listed聽prisoners聽including Sotoudeh.

"These choices do not demonstrate strength, they show fear鈥� by 滨谤补苍鈥檚 ruling elite, Obama said.聽

Analysts see today's releases as only the latest sign of change coming from Iran. The first was the election of Rouhani himself, despite all predictions; then the fact that jubilation was allowed to spill unhindered onto the streets, after years in which all gatherings were banned or strictly policed. That was followed by approval of many Rouhani cabinet picks who favor 滨谤补苍鈥檚 reengagement with the West and have the experience and apparent top-level support to act.

滨谤补苍鈥檚 Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly ordered all centers of power in Iran to support the new president鈥檚 team, and聽on Tuesday聽appeared to give further support for changing 滨谤补苍鈥檚 approach to nuclear negotiations and foreign policy.

鈥淚 agree with what I years ago called heroic flexibility, because this is sometimes a very good and necessary move," Khamenei聽said in a speech to the Revolutionary Guard, emphasizing that didn't mean conceding on Iran's basic rights.聽鈥淪ometimes a wrestler shows flexibility for technical reasons but he doesn鈥檛 forget who his opponent is and what his real goal is.鈥�

鈥淗ardliners these days are silent and if [prisoners, and Mousavi and Karroubi] will be freed, they can鈥檛 say anything because it is the Leader鈥檚 will,鈥� says the Tehran analyst. 鈥淭here is a huge gap between the state聽and society, such as you have never seen in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution. So the state [Khamenei] wants to restore the connection with society; it is an urgent need for the Islamic Republic.鈥�