Judiciary Chief Threatens Execution for 'Economic Disruptors'

Sadegh Larijani, the head of Iran's judiciary, threatened on Tuesday, July 5, that the judiciary would deal with government officials or others who disrupt the economy of Iran. He added, "Listen well, take the cotton out of your ears and open your eyes, disrupting the economic system of the country carries very heavy penalties, and if it qualifies as 'corruption on earth', it carries the death penalty." Mr. Larijani stated that 'disruption in the economic system' would also carry a '20-year prison sentence' if it does not qualify as 'corruption on earth'. This threat comes after currency fluctuations in Iran have intensified in recent weeks, leading to protests. Among these, protests that began on Sunday, July 3, in commercial complexes in Tehran, escalated to the closure of the Tehran market on Monday and continued on Tuesday, with reports indicating that these protests have spread to markets in several other cities in Iran. Many analysts have previously stated that 'security measures', while they may prevent currency price increases in the short term, will have no long-term effect, just as currency prices continued to rise despite 'security measures in the previous government'. Nevertheless, the Kayhan newspaper in its Tuesday issue called for 'execution and confiscation of property' of those who, according to the newspaper, disrupt the economy of the country. Meanwhile, Gholamhossein Esmaili, the head of the Tehran judiciary, explained the judiciary chief's remarks by saying, 'We do not consider the general population of yesterday (the protesters in the Tehran market) as economic disruptors; however, there are individuals who have disrupted and judicial orders have been issued for them.' Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, the Tehran prosecutor, announced on Tuesday the arrest of individuals who, according to him, attempted to threaten shopkeepers to close their stores on Monday. President Rouhani attributed the currency fluctuations to 'black propaganda'. The Iranian president, referring to what he called the 'psychological and economic war' of the United States against the Islamic Republic, described the reason for the currency fluctuations as 'black propaganda' and 'scaring and worrying the people', and asked prosecutors to deal with 'black propaganda'. According to the state news agency IRNA, Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday, July 5, in a meeting with judiciary officials that Iran is in a 'political and legal victory' regarding the JCPOA, but the U.S. 'wants to break our nation with psychological and economic warfare'. Mr. Rouhani reiterated that government revenues have increased compared to last year and that 'the people will not face any problems in meeting their essential and daily needs under any circumstances'. At the same time, he called the people's concerns 'inflationary expectations' and added, 'I simply call it black propaganda about the future and scaring and worrying the people even more than reality about the future.' The spokesperson and other government officials have repeatedly stated that the increase in currency prices has no economic reasons and is due to the public's demand for purchasing currency. The dollar price surged in Farvardin (the first month of the Persian calendar) after reports about the possibility of the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and conflicts between Iran and Israel in Syria. Following the Supreme Leader's remarks against the convention to combat the financing of terrorism, which some parliament members say is a prerequisite for negotiations between Iran and Europe to maintain the JCPOA, the dollar price increased again. On Tuesday, Mr. Rouhani also stated without going into details that 'unfortunately, some ignorant individuals have joined the enemy and have turned a few percent of minor concern into a general concern, sometimes even a hundred percent'. He emphasized to judiciary officials that 'addressing the violations of those who openly blackmail the future and attempt to undermine people's hope and assist the enemy in this regard does not require a private complaint'. Mr. Rouhani did not provide further details about those he referred to as 'black propagandists'. Previously, government officials have repeatedly criticized the attacks from state media, the Kayhan newspaper, and close associates of the Supreme Leader against the government. Meanwhile, some officials and media close to the government, including the Jomhouri Eslami newspaper, have considered the market protests in Tehran as a 'conspiracy against the government'. In this context, 'a large number' of protesters have been arrested; market gatherings have spread to other cities in Iran. The police stormed a protest outside the parliament with tear gas. The Security Council meeting of the Tehran province was held following the market closure. '220 million euros of state currency and only 75 million euros of mobile phone imports'.