The Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, who has been detained in Iran for more than one year, spoke in his own defense Monday during a final closed-door hearing in his trial.

A verdict in his case could come already next week, said his lawyer, Leila Ahsan. She submitted a 20-page defense brief at the start of Monday's session and provided an oral defense during the hearing, she told The Associated Press.

Rezaian also spoke in his own defense, she said. She declined to provide details, citing confidentiality rules surrounding the trial.

Rezaian's mother, Mary, who was outside the court with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, told reporters her son was innocent, a victim of the hostility between Iran and the United States dating back to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

"He is paying the price of the suspicion, the animosity and the paranoia between the two countries," she said.

Rezaian is charged with a number of offences, including espionage, and could face up to 20 years in prison.

Read more about Rezaian's final hearing via The Huffington Post.