PourMohammadi: Rahim Mashaei's Significant Role in the 3000 Billion Toman Embezzlement Case

The former head of the General Inspection Organization of Iran states that Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, the head of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's office, played a "significant role" in the 3000 billion toman embezzlement case. Mostafa PourMohammadi, Iran's Minister of Justice, made this statement in an interview with the Iran newspaper, which was republished by ISNA on Wednesday, August 14. He added: "In the transfer of steel and the project of converting the two-lane Chalus road to Noor, a meeting was held at the Esteghlal Hotel at Mr. Mashaei's direct order. Mr. Mashaei had sent a letter and had a significant role." PourMohammadi emphasized: "Of course, he said he only recommended it and the officials should act according to their duties, but everyone knows that recommendations from high-ranking officials are effective, especially if they are in writing." Previously, Mashaei's name had been mentioned in the 3000 billion toman embezzlement trial as well as in the Shahindiz phenomenon, and Mashaei's letter for transferring shares of Khuzestan Steel Company without legal auction procedures to Amir Mansour Arya's group had also been published on news websites. Iranian media have referred to Eynollah Riahi, one of the accused in this embezzlement, as Mashaei's nephew. Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesman for the judiciary, had also confirmed in November 2011 that he was related to Mashaei. The former head of the Inspection Organization also emphasized that "most major cases and billion-dollar violations occurred during the last two years of the tenth government." Officials from Hassan Rouhani's government, including First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri and government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, have raised many allegations regarding the financial violations of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government. Meanwhile, Adel Heydari, Ahmadinejad's lawyer, announced plans to file a complaint against Eshaq Jahangiri, and Jahangiri's office stated that it "welcomes" this complaint. PourMohammadi: We had filed a complaint against Ahmadinejad. In another part of his remarks, Mostafa PourMohammadi announced that the General Inspection Organization, during his presidency, had filed a complaint against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the then President of Iran, the Minister of Interior, and "other officials" due to the Qom Monorail project. PourMohammadi stated in his interview with Iran newspaper that Ahmadinejad "explicitly ordered" in this case, and this order was "beyond an administrative recommendation." According to PourMohammadi, this project was "against the law" from the outset and its implementation violated "many laws." He emphasized that this case did not reach a "conclusion," adding: "At that time, the judiciary did not want to confront the government every day, and the case was not seriously pursued. There were so many cases that it was not expedient to continue these confrontations every day." Ahmadinejad, during his tenure as Tehran's mayor, considered the monorail project insufficient to solve the traffic problem of the metropolis. However, during Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf's tenure, the monorail project, which was the subject of Ahmadinejad's university thesis, was put on hold, and the municipality focused again on developing the urban railway. Meanwhile, the General Inspection Organization and some members of the Qom City Council had protested against the monorail project in the city, but ultimately, the implementation of this project began at the insistence of Ahmadinejad's government and has reportedly made 50% progress so far. Ahmadinejad's lawyer's decision to sue Ashrafi Isfahani. Ahmadinejad's lawyer also stated on Wednesday that he would file a complaint against Mohammad Ashrafi Isfahani, the head of the primary committee for administrative violations of the presidency, due to his statements about Hamid Baghaei, Ahmadinejad's executive assistant. Ashrafi Isfahani had previously stated, citing "the words of one of the country's security officials," that Hamid Baghaei had "taken assets out of the country" and invested in "ten foreign countries." Hamid Baghaei was arrested on Tuesday, June 8, and Ali-Asghar Hosseini, one of Baghaei's defense lawyers, stated that his client's charge was "embezzlement." In this regard, Ejei: Ahmadinejad's complaint against Jahangiri has been referred to the investigator. "An order to Ahmadinejad's supporters to attack the diplomacy of Rouhani's government." Sources close to Ahmadinejad denied the arrest of Rahim Mashaei. "Investment" by Ahmadinejad's deputy "in ten foreign countries." The changing battlefield of "proxy forces"; war against the people in the streets of Iran. The first paragraph; the responsibility of the opposition and the possibility of radicalization of Iranian society. The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iran crisis.