Protests Against Billion-Toman Budgets for Institutions Owned by Mesbah Yazdi

A student organization has issued a statement to the eleventh government, protesting the allocation of certain budgets to specific institutions. In part of this statement written by the Association of Students Following the Line of Imam, it is stated, "Why has more than 14 billion tomans been allocated to the institution owned by Mesbah Yazdi and more than 2 billion tomans to the Islamic Wisdom Foundation of Sadr, owned by Mohammad Khamenei?" In recent days, following the publication of details of the 94 budget bill submitted by the government for approval to the parliament, the allocation of specific budgets to certain individuals and their affiliated organizations has faced protests from various groups. For example, the newspaper Ebrar, in its front page two weeks ago, referred to the 12 billion toman budget and other facilities allocated annually to Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi, addressing him: "Ayatollah Mesbah considers the Iranian people unworthy, while this position and status in the Islamic Republic, especially the 12 billion tomans allocated to his institution in the annual budget, is owed to these people; money that is sourced from the taxes of these hardworking people." In this context, the statement from the Association of Students Following the Line of Imam directed at President Hassan Rouhani is the latest criticism regarding the allocation of certain budgets in 94. This student organization has asked the government to explain why such a large amount of public funds, derived either from oil sales or taxes and fines collected from the people, should be allocated to specific non-governmental institutions instead of being used for the country's development and progress. Part of the statement reads: "In the current situation where oil prices have roughly halved and the pressure of sanctions and the economic debris left by the previous government have put vulnerable segments of society under pressure, and various government agencies are facing serious budget deficits, over 14 billion tomans have been allocated to the non-profit educational research institution of Imam Khomeini owned by Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi and more than 2 billion tomans to the Islamic Wisdom Foundation of Sadr owned by Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Khamenei; while the budget for cultural activities of medical universities across the country is only 3 billion tomans." Another part of the statement asks: "Is it just that in a year when parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections are due, public funds, as has been the case in past years, are spent on promoting a failed political party in society?" The Association of Students Following the Line of Imam concluded its statement by criticizing the government for including these items in the budget bill and urged parliament representatives to "demonstrate their freedom and independence by removing these items from the bill and not allowing the distortion of the ideals and goals of the Islamic Revolution of Iran by newcomers!"