Following a letter from the Tehran prosecutor on July 9 regarding tax evasion and the formation of legal cases, the Minister of Economy requested the head of the Tax Administration to provide necessary documents to the Tehran Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office. In response to increased tax pressure in Iran, the head of the Tax Administration announced that tax files have been created for 500 influencers, with approximately 130 of them having completed tax declarations. Mohammad Hadi Sobhanian emphasized that the declared tax for these 130 individuals was 500 million Toman, which upon review increased to 30 billion Toman. ISNA previously reported that users with over 500,000 followers on social media have been classified as tax subjects since 2021, with about 17 billion Toman in taxes determined for these individuals so far. According to this media report, 551 users and virtual activists with over 500,000 followers were identified as subject to income tax, and many of these individuals were recognized, ultimately leading to the issuance of assessed income for 123 influencers who had significant earnings. ISNA further noted that the transactions and accounts of these individuals were identified, with total incoming transactions for these 123 influencers in 2021 exceeding 2.3 trillion Toman. However, the criteria for determining influencers' income were not solely based on bank deposits, and their identification was conducted through advertising intermediary companies. For the identified 123 influencers, approximately 17 billion Toman in taxes was assessed, with 23 of these influencers accepting this tax and paying it under an agreement based on Article 238.
30 Billion Toman Tax for Influencers; Tax Collection Has Become Security-Related
The Iranian government is intensifying tax collection efforts on social media influencers, with significant tax assessments made for those with large followings. This move reflects broader economic pressures and aims to address tax evasion in a struggling economy.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Iranian government has intensified tax collection efforts targeting social media influencers, with significant tax assessments being made. Approximately 500 influencers have been identified as tax subjects, leading to a total tax assessment of 30 billion Toman for some individuals.
- 130 out of 500 identified influencers have completed tax declarations.
- Total incoming transactions for 123 influencers exceeded 2.3 trillion Toman in 2021.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has been facing significant economic challenges, leading to increased scrutiny of various sectors, including the burgeoning influencer economy. Since 2021, influencers with large followings have been classified as tax subjects.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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