Head of the Court of Audit: Astronomical Salaries Returned to the Treasury

Adel Azar, the head of the Court of Audit of the country, announced on Tuesday, February 1, that all "astronomical salaries" have been returned to the government treasury. According to ISNA news agency, Adel Azar stated: "397 individuals who received 23 billion and 300 million tomans in unconventional salaries have returned the entire amount of 23 billion and 300 million tomans to the treasury." Previously, Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje'i, the spokesperson for the judiciary, had stated on January 23 that 70 individuals had been summoned in connection with the case known as "astronomical salaries." Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje'i also criticized the government of Hassan Rouhani, stating that contrary to previous agreements, no report has yet been submitted to the judiciary regarding this matter. According to the judiciary spokesperson, "these summonses were based on information provided by the General Inspection Organization and the IRGC." The case known as "astronomical salaries" was formed following the disclosure of salary slips of some managers under the government. Government officials, while acknowledging the reality of these salaries, claim that only a small portion of managers received such salaries. However, conservative opponents of the government have strongly attacked Rouhani's administration over the "astronomical salaries" case. Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, previously stated that the payment of such salaries was not exclusive to the government and also existed in other branches. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has also called for clarification regarding these salaries. Following the uproar over unconventional salaries, parliament representatives approved that the monthly salaries and benefits of executive managers should not exceed twice the maximum salaries and benefits set by the Civil Service Management Law. Shortly after the astronomical salaries case, a report was published regarding heavy discounts in the mayor's office for the allocation of expensive houses to some members of the city council and urban managers. The "Architecture News" site published this report, which ultimately led to the imprisonment of its responsible manager, Yashar Soltani. In this context, 46 Iranian parliament representatives warned Rouhani: "Introduce your brother to the judiciary." The Tehran prosecutor stated that 66 individuals have been summoned in connection with the case of municipal property allocations. A review of 399 cases of unconventional salaries is underway in the Administrative Justice Court.