Babak Zanjani's Promise to Settle His Oil Debts Within the Next 10 Days

According to Tasnim News Agency, citing an informed source, Babak Zanjani, the main accused in the oil case, has promised to settle his debts within the next 10 days. This news agency published the report on Sunday, December 5, stating that the fate of Babak Zanjani, whose death sentence as a 'corrupt on earth' has been issued, confirmed, and communicated, will be determined in 10 days. According to the report, Mr. Zanjani has made many promises over the past three years regarding the return of the oil money, which have repeatedly 'hit a dead end for various reasons and have not been realized.' The news agency quoted its informed source stating that this is the 'final deadline' for this accused to repay his debts, and 'if accomplished, he could benefit from the discounts stipulated in the Supreme Court ruling.' As Tasnim reported, if Zanjani's 'promise is not fulfilled this time, the court's ruling regarding his execution will likely be carried out.' Meanwhile, Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the Attorney General of Iran, stated in 2016 that Babak Zanjani's death sentence is final but will not be executed until the 'return of the funds' to the public treasury. Babak Zanjani has been accused of receiving 'one million barrels of oil worth 300 million euros' from the Iranian oil company and has only paid '160 million euros' out of the 2.7 billion euros he was supposed to pay, spending the rest on personal matters. Zanjani and his lawyers claim that problems arising from sanctions are the main obstacle to returning these funds. According to this report, the Ministry of Oil has also demanded compensation for the damages caused by the delay in repayment from him. Bijan Zanganeh, the Iranian Minister of Oil, previously announced that Babak Zanjani's debt to this ministry is four billion dollars and stated that this accused 'does not intend' to pay this debt. On November 15 of this year, the head of Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court announced that the second and third defendants in Babak Zanjani's case have been sentenced to 20 years in prison and the return of property. Mohammad Mogheiseh, the judge of the second and third defendants in Babak Zanjani's case, stated in an interview with ILNA news agency that Hamid Fallah Heravi and Mehdi Shams have each been sentenced to 20 years in prison and the return of property. Mr. Mogheiseh mentioned that this ruling is subject to appeal and re-examination in the Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court, which confirmed Babak Zanjani's death sentence, annulled the death sentences issued for Mehdi Shams and Hamid Fallah Heravi, the second and third defendants in this case, and sent the case to a 'parallel' branch. Iranian media refer to Mehdi Shams as one of the former shipping company managers and Hamid Fallah Heravi as a former security force member.