Financial Corruption in the Construction of Shafaroud Dam and Power Plant with Chinese Contractor

ILNA news agency reported on financial corruption in the construction project of the Shafaroud Dam and Power Plant in Gilan province, involving a Chinese contractor, highlighting "widespread financial ambiguities." ILNA, which operates under the government-affiliated 'House of Workers,' addressed the "widespread financial ambiguities" and "violations" in these projects, stating that based on contract documents and field information, there has been misuse of public resources, purchase of substandard and surplus goods, illegal sale of iron materials, and illegal transfer of heavy machinery to foreign companies among the issues that have occurred in these projects. The report emphasizes that construction and mining machinery and iron materials unrelated to the project's objectives and surplus to needs were imported from China under the contract and credit documents for the construction of the Shafaroud Dam and Power Plant. The report states that 36% of the contract amount for these projects was spent on purchasing construction and mining machinery, rebar, and industrial sheets beyond what was necessary, while "the employer did not purchase or import a single bolt and nut for the power plant and mechanical section of the dam." ILNA reported the total value of all imported goods at the current price equivalent to 5,944 billion tomans and noted that some parts and goods were left abandoned in port customs, stating that all "dump trucks" were purchased from unreliable brands at 28% above the current price. Experts believe that corruption in the Islamic Republic has become systematic and structural, with various governments acting as tools to advance the interests of extrajudicial groups and institutions. Accordingly, reviewing the trends of discovered corruption in Iran, of which only parts are brought to the media, shows that all governments are implicated in the revealed economic corruption.