ZCZC
BCN-28
IRAN-CORRUPTION-ECONOMY
Iran arrests 67 in corruption crackdown approved by Khamenei
TEHRAN, Aug 12, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Iran’s judiciary said Sunday that 67 people
have been arrested in recent weeks as part of a corruption crackdown approved
by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
More than 100 government employees have also been barred from leaving the
country, spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejeie said, according to the
judiciary-linked Mizan news agency.
“Our enemy America has decided to put pressure on people and it intends to
put our economy under pressure, but to no avail,” Ejeie said.
“There are individuals who try to use this opportunity and hoard basic
goods and increase pressure on people by hoarding and smuggling,” he added.
On Saturday, Khamenei approved a request from the head of the judiciary,
Sadegh Larijani, to set up special revolutionary courts to try people for
economic crimes.
“The goal is that the punishment of convicts of economic corruption be
carried out urgently and justly,” Khamenei wrote in a response published on
his website.
Increased pressure from the United States, including its withdrawal from
the 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions, have exacerbated long-standing
public anger over mismanagement and corruption in the economy.
A disastrous attempt to fix the falling value of the rial in April added to
the anger after the government revealed that politically-connected importers
were hoarding the cheap dollars or selling them on the black market.
Earlier this month, the head of the central bank was sacked and his deputy
in charge of foreign exchange arrested.
Corruption is deeply entrenched in Iran, where an opaque business
environment provides huge opportunities for embezzlement and market
manipulation.
With protests and strikes taking on a political edge in many places,
pressure has mounted from all sides to take more concerted action against
corruption.
BSS/AFP/SR/1830 HRS