Density of Imams and Shrines in Iran; 20 Imams and 450 Endowments in Each County

According to research from Iran's open data platform, on average, each county has 20 Imams and shrines, 450 endowments, and about 3,000 economic, social, and religious properties in operation. The Organization of Endowments and Charity Affairs of Iran is one of the largest religious-economic institutions in the country, administratively and budgetarily under the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and directly managed by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. The open data platform reports that 'this organization - which does not publish any documented reports on its financial resources and expenditures - is always under suspicion of financial corruption, land grabbing, and misuse of public resources.' An endowment is defined as a legal entity that has been designated for a specific purpose. Each endowment can consist of several properties; a unit of the endowment that can be economically utilized independently. The open data platform compares this data with the beginning of the 1390s (2011-2021), showing that over a decade, the number of endowments has increased by 25% and the number of properties by about 30%. Comparing the number of properties with business units shows their significant volume. According to calculations from the open data platform, 'if we compare this figure with the number of properties, we conclude that for every 1.7 business units, there is one property operating economically in Iran.' The distribution ratio of endowments and properties among the provinces is not equal. The report from the open data platform based on the detailed statistics from the Organization of Endowments shows that 'the provinces of Khorasan Razavi, Isfahan, and Fars have the highest number of endowments, while Mazandaran, Khorasan Razavi, and Fars have the highest number of properties across the country.' On the other hand, 'the provinces of Ilam, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Alborz, and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari have the lowest number of endowments and properties in the country.' The open data platform reports that endowments and properties are not the only entities operating under the Organization of Endowments; 'Imams and shrines are also considered another subset of the Organization of Endowments and Charity Affairs.' Research from this platform indicates that the number of Imams across the country - based on statistics from the official Comprehensive Bank of Imams - exceeds 8,000. In other words, in Iran, 'for every county, there are 19 Imams and shrines officially supervised by the Organization of Endowments.' According to the open data platform, access to the Comprehensive Bank of Imams is currently limited, 'but data collected by Factnameh in 1397 (2018) provides a relatively clear picture of their geographical distribution.' Accordingly, 'the provinces of Fars, Mazandaran, and Gilan have the highest number of Imams with 1,537, 1,306, and 708 respectively, collectively housing 40% of the country's Imams and shrines.' Conversely, research from the open data platform shows that the provinces of Sistan and Baluchestan, Kurdistan, Hormozgan, and Kermanshah have the lowest number of Imams with 20, 39, and 47 respectively. Additionally, a storm and dust in Sistan and Baluchestan have sent 800 people to hospitals and treatment centers. The dropout rate continues; 160,000 students have dropped out of primary education. Open data from Iran indicates that only 36% of Iranian athletes are women. Open data from Iran shows that 21,000 hectares of the country's forests and pastures burn annually. The open data platform reports that the statistics of 'Raheeyan Noor' visits are fake.