On Saturday, March 4, during the review of the budget for the year 98, the representatives of the Islamic Consultative Assembly approved a resolution that, if confirmed by the Guardian Council, Astan Quds Razavi, economic enterprises of the armed forces, and the Executive Headquarters of Imam's Command must pay taxes in the coming year. According to this resolution, institutions that have a 'clear permission' from the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic to avoid paying taxes will be exempt from taxation. Astan Quds Razavi has been exempt from taxes by the order of Ayatollah Khomeini, the former leader of the Islamic Republic, and the current leader Ayatollah Khamenei has also emphasized that this institution should not pay taxes. The issue of Astan Quds Razavi's tax exemption was criticized by Hassan Rouhani and his government officials during the 2016 presidential election, where Ebrahim Raisi, the custodian of Astan Quds, was a candidate. Some economic institutions under the Supreme Leader, including the Mostazafan Foundation and Astan Quds Razavi, have claimed to pay value-added tax. However, critics argue that value-added tax is actually a tax that producers ultimately collect from their customers and differs from the annual tax that other economic actors pay. The tax exemption of these institutions has faced criticism for about 20 years. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former president of Iran, wrote in a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei on March 22, 2018, that the 15 Khordad Foundation, Mostazafan Foundation, Executive Headquarters of Imam's Command, and several other foundations have 'over 700 trillion tomans in wealth, of which the public is unaware of their work reports, income, and expenditure.' Ali Motahari, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, also expressed opposition to the activities of institutions like the 'Executive Headquarters of Imam's Command' in March 2017, stating that some of these institutions are exempt from taxes and 'disrupt' the country's economy. Majid Farahani, Secretary-General of the Iranian Call Party and a member of Tehran City Council, previously stated: 'Over 40% of Iran's economy is controlled by foundations and institutions that do not pay a single rial in taxes and rely on power rent to monopolize all national and developmental projects in an unfair and unequal competition.'
Parliament Resolution: Astan Quds and Economic Institutions Must Pay Taxes
The Iranian Parliament has passed a resolution requiring Astan Quds Razavi and certain military economic entities to pay taxes, pending approval from the Guardian Council. This move is significant as it challenges long-standing tax exemptions for powerful institutions tied to the Supreme Leader, amidst ongoing debates about economic inequality in Iran.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Iranian Parliament passed a resolution requiring Astan Quds Razavi and certain military economic entities to pay taxes, pending approval from the Guardian Council. This marks a significant challenge to the long-standing tax exemptions enjoyed by these powerful institutions.
- The resolution targets Astan Quds Razavi and military economic enterprises, which have historically been exempt from taxes.
- Critics argue that these exemptions contribute to economic inequality and hinder fair competition in Iran.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Astan Quds Razavi and similar institutions have historically operated with significant economic power and tax exemptions, leading to public criticism about their role in exacerbating inequality in Iran.
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
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