46 Iranian MPs Urge Rouhani to Introduce His Brother to the Judiciary

46 Iranian lawmakers have written a letter to Hassan Rouhani, the President of the Islamic Republic, demanding that he take action against his brother, Hossein Fereydoun. According to ILNA, these representatives have requested that the president introduce his brother to the judiciary to address allegations of 'economic corruption.' The letter was read on Wednesday, January 5, by Akbar Ranjbarzadeh, a member of the parliamentary board. This letter comes amid tensions between the judiciary officials and Hassan Rouhani. Previously, the Iranian president and other government members had called for the identification of individuals linked to the Babak Zanjani case, emphasizing that the execution of Zanjani should not eliminate the 'black box' of this case. In response, Sadegh Larijani, the head of the judiciary, stated that if investigations are to be pursued, Babak Zanjani's claim of assisting Rouhani's election campaign should also be examined. Following this, Hassan Rouhani tweeted that the government is willing to disclose all its financial records and suggested that the judiciary do the same. In turn, Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje'i, the judiciary spokesperson, accused Rouhani of 'deception' and 'transparency theatrics,' asserting that pressures on the judiciary will continue until the elections. Now, 46 conservative MPs have aligned with the judiciary in demanding the introduction of the president's brother. Hossein Fereydoun, a special assistant to the president, has been accused of financial corruption by conservatives for several months. His academic record is also currently under scrutiny by this group of representatives. According to conservative media, during the currency crisis under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's administration, Hossein Fereydoun, along with Ali Sedghi, established a currency exchange. The newspaper Kayhan reported that it was on the recommendation of Hossein Fereydoun that Ali Sedghi was appointed as the CEO of Refah Bank; a manager who was dismissed after the revelation of 'astronomical salaries.' Hossein Fereydoun, a former diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented Hassan Rouhani in nuclear negotiations. In July 2016, MPs from the Front of Steadfastness had previously requested a travel ban for his brother to the presidency. Recently, Javad Karimi Qodosi, who sparked controversy by revealing a confidential session of the National Security Commission, made further allegations against Hassan Rouhani and his brother.