In the continuation of remarks by officials of the Islamic Republic regarding economic corruption, smuggling of goods, and misappropriation of public and state assets, the necessity of fighting corruption and smuggling of goods and currency was reiterated on Tuesday at the annual conference of the country's police force. Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Parliament, stated at this conference that with twenty billion dollars in smuggling, their resistant economy has no chance. Hossein Ashtari, the commander of the police force, also mentioned that a significant portion of smuggling is organized. Mohammad Ali Pourmokhtar, the head of the Article 90 Commission of the Parliament, responded to a question on Sunday about who the smugglers are by saying that this is a secret. It is not only these officials who easily report on widespread corruption. Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, who claims to be aware of many things, called for a fight against corruption fifteen years ago with an eight-point charter. Khamenei, who even spoke about land and mountain grabbing on March 9, 2015, also stated last week on Labor Day that he meant the big-time smugglers. Majid Mohammadi, a sociologist and analyst in New York, responded to the question of why Islamic Republic officials talk so much about corruption and the need to combat it, saying that corruption is so widespread that no one can deny it. Mohammadi also addressed why the fight against corruption does not take shape and what society's reaction is, stating that since the survival of the regime has become dependent on corruption and the stigma of corruption has disappeared, fighting it has become almost impossible. Hossein Ashtari, the police commander, identified tackling the big-time smugglers who engage in targeted smuggling of goods and currency into the country as one of the important goals of the police force in 2016, and mentioned that the police need the support of other institutions, especially the Parliament, in terms of issuing and approving laws.
Everyone in Iran Talks About Corruption
Iranian officials, including Ali Larijani and Ayatollah Khamenei, have reiterated the need to combat widespread corruption and smuggling during a police conference. Analysts suggest that the regime's survival is tied to corruption, making genuine efforts to combat it nearly impossible. This highlights a significant challenge for governance in Iran.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Iranian officials discussed the pervasive issue of corruption and smuggling at a police conference, emphasizing the need for reform. Despite calls for action, analysts suggest that corruption is deeply entrenched in the regime.
- Ali Larijani highlighted the economic threat posed by $20 billion in smuggling.
- Ayatollah Khamenei has been calling for anti-corruption measures for over a decade.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Corruption in Iran is a longstanding issue, with smuggling and misappropriation of funds affecting economic performance and public trust.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%