Embezzlement Equivalent to One Third of Education Budget

The issuance of general election policies by the Leader of the Islamic Republic has received widespread and varied reflections in Iran's Sunday newspapers. The newspaper Shargh highlighted one of the clauses in this directive regarding the 'prohibition of armed forces and the three branches of government' and reported that clause sixteen emphasizes the 'prohibition of the entry of armed forces, the three branches including their ministries and affiliated agencies, intelligence and security agencies, organizations, public institutions, and state companies into political and factional categories in elections and supporting candidates.' This newspaper also reported on the 'enthusiastic reception by political activists of the Leader's directive,' quoting Abdolvahed Mousavi Lari, the Minister of Interior during the reformist era, stating, 'If the upcoming elections are held based on these general election policies, many problems will certainly be reduced.' Mousavi Lari also commented on the prohibition of armed forces in elections, saying, 'This is beneficial for them, political activists, and the entire society. Armed forces should remain in their place, not interfere in the execution and oversight of elections, and not support any faction,' as 'the mission of the armed forces is to protect borders and the security of society. Their focus should be on preserving Iran and the Islamic Republic. When they enter political disputes, they lose their position and society suffers.' Hamid Reza Taraghi, a member of the Central Council of the Islamic Coalition Party, commented on the prohibition of armed forces in factional divisions mentioned in the general election policies, stating, 'This prohibition was previously mentioned by Imam (Ayatollah Khomeini), is included in the Constitution, and has been reiterated throughout these years; however, the important point is that the Leader has added the three branches to it and prohibited their entry into elections.' According to Shargh, Taraghi also referred to the fourth clause of the general election policies, stating, 'Financial transparency is one of the harms threatening elections. The connection of candidates to wealth centers is one of the problems that facilitates the dominance of capitalists in the political system of the country, just as this issue exists in the United States and the West.' The government-aligned newspaper Iran described the issuance of the general election policies by the Leader of the Islamic Republic as a 'roadmap for the electoral system' and simultaneously stated in its editorial that 'the issue of reforming electoral approaches and policies has been raised for a long time. The Expediency Discernment Council has studied the current laws for a long time and identified their deficiencies, and ultimately after drafting details, presented the results in the form of a report to the Leader of the Islamic Republic, who on Saturday issued the general election policies in 18 clauses. Each of these clauses addresses a main and fundamental issue in our elections that deserves much consideration and can be the source of change and transformation.' Mahmoud Mirloohi, described as a 'legal expert' in the editorial of the Iran newspaper, emphasized that 'what is more important than anything is that these policies are implemented and enforced' and that 'cost transparency,' 'prohibition of defamation and bribery,' 'determining the necessary frameworks and rules for lawful and responsible party activities,' etc., emphasized in the general policies 'not only brings elections closer in appearance and form to elections in advanced countries but will also improve the quality of elections in our country compared to elections in other countries, provided that everyone prepares to implement these clauses.' The editorial writer of the Iran newspaper also referred to clause 16 of the issued policies regarding the 'prohibition of the entry of armed forces, the three branches including their ministries and affiliated agencies, intelligence and security agencies, organizations, public institutions, and state companies into political and factional categories in elections and supporting candidates,' writing, 'The entry of armed forces into political categories is explicitly stated in the Constitution and the statements of Imam (Ayatollah Khomeini), but unfortunately, it has sometimes been subject to interpretation. Now, with the issuance of these policies, there is no room for interpretation.' The Kayhan newspaper focused on another part of the 'general election policies,' writing that the Leader of the Islamic Republic emphasized 'supervision over maintaining the conditions of representation until the end of the parliamentary term.' This newspaper also reported that 'the prohibition of using foreign support and resources, whether financial or promotional, by candidates and parties and timely action by relevant authorities is another clause of these issued policies.' The Farhikhtegan newspaper reported on October 16, 'World Food Day,' stating that 'Iranians waste 35 million tons of food.' According to this newspaper, 'Iran's share of the total food wasted globally each year is reported to be 2.7 percent,' and based on a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Iran is among the countries that 'waste a high percentage of their produced food annually, with FAO estimates indicating that every day, 134 kilocalories of food are wasted per person in Iran.' Farhikhtegan noted that 'statistics show that out of 100 million tons of agricultural products produced in the country, 35 million tons are wasted annually,' reminding that 'this figure is equivalent to the food for 15 million people,' and 'in this regard, one can refer to 30 percent waste in bread, 25 to 30 and even 50 percent waste in fruits and vegetables, 10 percent in rice, and 25 percent in dates and horticultural products.' According to this newspaper, such a level of food waste occurs while 'nearly 20 percent of the population receives less energy and protein than their needs,' and even 'more than 10 million people live below the poverty line and are at a very low level in terms of nutrition and caloric intake, with the intake of valuable food items such as protein being very low among Iranian families.' Farhikhtegan reported that 'the annual cost imposed on the government due to bread waste amounts to 2 billion and 857 million dollars, and the value of food waste in Iran in 2014 was almost equal to the total figures of essential goods and agricultural products imported by the government in that year.' 'Living in Absolute Darkness' is the title of a report in the Etemad newspaper that examines the status of the acid attack case in Isfahan on the second anniversary of its occurrence. This newspaper recalled that 'the Isfahan acid attack case from October 2014 has still not been closed after two years,' stating, 'The first news of the chain acid attacks in Isfahan, where four women were similarly attacked with acid, was published on October 24 of that year. The publication of this news sparked a wave of reactions from the public and officials. From the very beginning, President Hassan Rouhani issued an order directing the Ministries of Interior, Intelligence, and Justice to diligently pursue the acid attack issue in Isfahan and identify the perpetrator or perpetrators, and the Chief Justice of Isfahan Province also stated that a decisive ruling would be issued for the acid attackers to serve as a lesson for criminals. However, now, two years after these acid attacks, the case remains open, and the perpetrators have still not been apprehended.' According to Etemad, 'The latest comments regarding this case date back to March 23, 2016, when Ahmad Khosravi Vafa, the Chief Justice of Isfahan Province, announced that the suspect must be identified before any statements can be made,' and in these two years, 'judicial and law enforcement officials, from the spokesperson of the judiciary to the head of the Criminal Investigation Police, the Deputy for Security and Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Interior, etc., have reported on pursuing this case and efforts to identify the criminal or criminals.' Soheila Jorkesh, a 28-year-old victim of the Isfahan acid attacks, told Etemad, 'Two years have passed since this tragic incident, from the moment I was driving on Bozorgmehr Street and without knowing what crime I had committed, a bucket of acid was poured over my head,' but 'you cannot imagine how much suffering and agony I have endured. In these two years, I have undergone so many surgeries. I was in a coma for two months, underwent more than 50 surgeries. They would take skin from one part of my body and place it on another; if it did not take, they would do it again. How much I screamed in these hospitals. What nights I could not sleep and what days I suffered.' She, who was able to see with her left eye for seven months with a camera implanted in it, said, 'I am now in absolute darkness,' but 'I love the sky and my nature, I love the beauties of the world, and I cannot remain in darkness. I am sure there is a way. I do not blame those who did not help me in this path; I just ask that at least they do not remain indifferent. I ask all people to pray for me so that I can make the right final decision for my eye and at least see the spring of 2017.' Marzieh Ebrahimi, who lost one of her corneas during the acid attack and suffered severe bodily harm, with a hole in her head, said, 'It was October 23, 2014, I was 24 years and 10 months old. I had a dental appointment, drove my car towards Towhid Street in Isfahan, and there was heavy traffic. I was in a hurry and waiting for the cars to slowly move forward. I was looking for a parking space. At that time, I had rolled up the window and the sound of the car stereo was low. I was getting hot, so I rolled down the window; at that moment, I felt like a bucket of hot water was poured over me.' This victim of the Isfahan acid attacks said, 'I am now 26 years and 10 months old and have been unconscious 24 times, eight of which were laser surgeries. Now one side of my face, my ear, part of my hair, the left side of my neck to the middle of my chest, and my hands are burned. These areas have been skin-grafted. They also placed a device in my head,' but 'I do not know anything about the follow-up of the case and the judicial process and court, and I think the follow-ups are ongoing.' The Vaghaye Etefaghieh newspaper reported on 'embezzlement equivalent to one third of the education budget,' stating, 'The parliament, along with inspection bodies in the country, is seeking to investigate the Cultural Fund for Teachers, and at the same time, it is reported that the volume of financial violations that have occurred in this fund amounts to about 8 trillion tomans, while the annual budget of the Ministry of Education is nearly 26 trillion tomans, meaning that the amount of this financial violation in the Cultural Fund for Teachers is approximately one third of the annual budget of education.' According to this newspaper, Amir Khajasteh, the head of the parliamentary faction for combating economic and administrative corruption, emphasized the pursuit of the investigation into the Cultural Fund for Teachers and reported a new wave of arrests in this fund, stating, 'Considering that nearly 8 trillion tomans of financial violations have occurred in the Cultural Fund for Teachers, we will pursue the investigation with determination in parliament, and certainly, the offenders in the Cultural Fund for Teachers must be identified.' Vaghaye Etefaghieh also wrote that 'the Cultural Fund for Teachers is one of the economic institutions that has been established with capital derived from a portion of the monthly salaries of member teachers and partly through government assistance since late 1994, with the aim of improving the livelihoods and welfare of teachers and increasing the financial power of retirees of this ministry, and it was ultimately established on June 7, 1995, with the approval of the parliament in the implementation of Note 63 of the Second Economic, Social, and Cultural Development Plan of the country.'