Lawyer of Babak Zanjani's Associates: My Clients are 'Children of the System'

The third session of the trial regarding the charges against Mehdi Shams and Hamid Fallah Heravi, two of Babak Zanjani's 'partners' in the so-called oil corruption case, was held publicly. The defense lawyer of the second defendant introduced his clients as 'children of the system' and attributed the main cause of the 'problems' to 'sanctions'. According to ISNA news agency, this session took place on Sunday in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court with the presence of the two defendants, their defense lawyers, lawyers from the oil company, Housing Bank, Social Security Organization, and experts from the Central Bank. Judge Mohammad Maghiseh introduced the defendants as members of a 'large gang of economic disruptors and fraudsters from the oil company and Babak Zanjani's partners'. Mehdi Shams, the second defendant, is accused of 'corruption on earth' through participation in disrupting the country's economic system, knowing that his actions would 'harm' the Islamic Republic of Iran, and 'deliberately participating in forming an organized network for forgery and using forged documents, fraud, and money laundering'. Fallahati, the defense lawyer for Mehdi Shams, called the 'source' of today's problems the 'sanctions of enemies' and stated, 'If there were no sanctions, these problems would not exist. A transaction would have been made between two companies; if Iran's money returned, would there be a complainant? Could the public prosecutor file a lawsuit? So if a crime occurred, it was the non-payment of money; that too to the Islamic government.' He accused the Ministry of Oil of having 'given cash to some defendants or misused it elsewhere or failed to carry out its mission.' Fallahati referred to his clients as 'children of this system' and added, 'There is no gang where everyone collaborates to seize public assets.' Judge Maghise responded to him by saying, 'You are not supposed to chant slogans and boast; they are not Hezbollahis.' He named the defendants as members of 'an organized network inside the country' that 'looted public assets with several individuals whose cases are also under discussion.' Mahdavi, the defense lawyer for the oil company, reacted to Fallahati's statements by saying that '1 billion 427 million and 500 thousand euros were paid to Babak Zanjani... [he] said I have a bank and can convert your money to dollars and euros.' According to him, several months after the payments, 'no conversion had taken place. The gentlemen bought other things with that money.' Mehdi Shams, defending himself, stated that 'Zanjani has been called a liar 91 times in the indictment, but now that it is my turn, he is considered truthful.' He added, 'I was not Nostradamus to understand Zanjani's intentions; rather, security institutions reached the issue after extensive investigations. An action was taken here, and later I entered with good intentions to help bypass the sanctions.' This defendant added that Babak Zanjani always said, 'With trust in God and to help the country, I entered this field. The system had also given credibility to Zanjani, and when they give credibility, it must have been validated.' Judge Maghise further accused Shams of having introduced Zanjani to the authorities and presenting him as someone with two banks capable of selling oil. Mehdi Shams again called Babak Zanjani a 'liar' and criticized that 'the entire essence of the case is based on the statements of one individual' who is the main accused. He considered one of his main objections to be that 'I got involved beyond my duty, and the others withdrew. Since Zanjani's arrest, I have come to Iran five times to help the country... and acted beyond my duties.' Shams requested Judge Maghise to confront him with Babak Zanjani. He added that the oil sales operation was conducted 'at night' and in one case, by paying 'a bribe and under-the-table payment to the coast guard', he made it possible to transport Iran's oil by sea. Shams also reacted to Maghise's statement that he, the third defendant, and others had introduced him to Babak Zanjani, initially denying it and then saying, 'If introducing in business is a crime, then half the people in the world should be arrested.' In connection with the third session of the trial of the defendants in the so-called 'oil corruption' case, Hossein Dehdashti, a member of the parliamentary committee following up on the oil corruption case, said that 'security agencies somehow and verbally approved Babak Zanjani's actions', but 'did not go under written approval.' Hossein Dehdashti added that Babak Zanjani, due to 'sanctions', cooperated with some Iranian companies in matters such as 'financial transactions and purchasing equipment, which these companies were satisfied with Zanjani's performance.' According to Khaneh Mellat, he stated: 'It should be clarified what system supported Zanjani in the tenth government and what guarantees were taken from him; was this done with other individuals as well?' This former parliament member added that 'even if the responsible person of that government' was not aware of Babak Zanjani's actions, 'due to negligence, they should also be prosecuted and held accountable.' The member of the parliamentary committee following up on Babak Zanjani's case stated: 'All oil properties have been registered in the names of third parties in various countries, part of which is in the names of those countries' personalities, with whom Zanjani had established connections.' Babak Zanjani is accused of having received 'one million barrels of oil worth 300 million euros' from the Iranian oil company and having paid '160 million euros of the 2 billion 700 million euros he was obligated to pay, spending the rest on personal affairs.' Babak Zanjani and his lawyer have repeatedly promised that this debt will be paid through Zanjani's foreign partners, but so far this debt has not been paid. The Supreme Court has confirmed Babak Zanjani's death sentence, but has annulled the death sentences of Mehdi Shams and Hamid Fallah Heravi, the second and third defendants, respectively; this ruling is being reviewed in the 'parallel branch'. Iranian media refer to Mehdi Shams as one of the former managers of shipping and Hamid Fallah Heravi as one of the former security personnel.