Daily Smuggling of 20 Million Liters of Fuel from 'Molla Road'; Yashar Soltani: It is Structured

A journalist in Iran pointed out that "6.5 million liters of diesel are smuggled daily," emphasizing that "power plants are out of fuel" and "according to officials in Iran, 20 million liters of fuel" are smuggled to neighboring countries daily. Yashar Soltani, a journalist who has previously published reports on the corruption of Islamic Republic officials, addressed the "story of Molla and the smuggling of 432 million liters of fuel" on his website, stating: "This smuggling occurs from three provinces: Bushehr with the least share and Hormozgan and Sistan and Baluchestan with the most share." He highlighted the "magnitude of daily and monthly smuggling numbers and the limitation to a few specific provinces and cities," based on information he obtained, reporting: "The issue of combating fuel smuggling is more unwanted. Because in this case alone, the leader of a smuggling gang has been convicted of smuggling 432 million liters of diesel and based on the confessions of his accomplices, not only did he build and use a dedicated road for fuel smuggling, but he also had extensive connections with law enforcement officers that facilitated the growth and expansion of his illegal business." Mr. Soltani revealed that this individual is known as "Molla" in Minab and his name is "Abdulmajid Moridi," who owns "Molla Road" and "a large number of tankers and boats in the region work for his cartel." This journalist active in the field of systematic corruption in the Islamic Republic mentioned tricks such as "fake vouchers," "double vouchers," and "products without vouchers or approvals" in the context of fuel smuggling in Iran, stating: "Such a level of fuel movement in the country is not possible without coordination and an existing structure and organization." According to his research, "each tanker has a capacity of 30,000 liters and 20 million liters of fuel are smuggled daily in Iran," and "it can be said that 666 tankers with fake vouchers or without vouchers are moving daily on the routes of Hormozgan and Sistan and Baluchestan," but "such a large volume of smuggling is not seized by the authorities." Reports about systematic fuel smuggling from Iran to neighboring countries come as Islamic Republic officials have announced "planned blackouts," rationing electricity. Additionally, in August of this year, seven officials from the oil company in Kerman province were arrested in connection with "fuel smuggling." Several experts have previously stated that this volume of smuggling is not possible without the collaboration and coordination of security and governmental entities, as in Iran's fuel distribution system, due to the use of fuel cards and imposed restrictions on refueling, there is practically no possibility of obtaining excess fuel. Reports from Pakistani intelligence organizations have also confirmed this issue. This report mentioned 200 brokers and smugglers and also named government and security officials of the Islamic Republic who benefit from this matter through bribery. Reports about large-scale fuel smuggling in Iran come at a time when a significant number of citizens, suffering from fuel poverty, have been killed or injured by the "deliberate shooting" of Islamic Republic forces.