Reaction of the Head of the Inspection Organization to Government Officials' Statements on Corruption

Hassan Rouhani's remarks at the 'Resistance Economy in Regional Relations' conference have received widespread coverage in Iranian newspapers on Tuesday. The 'Etemad' newspaper headlined its front page with 'Rouhani's Strong Warning' and quoted the President as saying: 'I once again announce to all governors that if someone does not accept the June 24 election, it is not appropriate for them to hold high positions.' The 'Aftab Yazd' newspaper reported that Rouhani mentioned '80% public support for nuclear negotiations' at this conference. The 'Iran' newspaper highlighted Rouhani's emphasis on the new composition of the negotiating team during the Geneva nuclear talks, quoting him: 'The new composition of the negotiating team is a sign of a firm will for interaction.' The newspaper noted that the President referred to Iran's nuclear negotiators as 'the frontline soldiers of diplomacy' and stated: 'In the nuclear field and in all surveys, 80% of the people supported the negotiations. The government is moving in a direction that has the overwhelming support of the people, and this issue is of great importance to us in all dimensions.' The 'Iran' newspaper also reported on 'the announcement of penalties for draft evaders' and wrote: 'The Islamic Consultative Assembly has specified the penalty for draft evaders over 8 years for the issuance of military exemption cards.' According to the newspaper, based on the Sunday resolution of the Assembly, pending final approval by the Guardian Council, 'the penalty for draft evaders with educational qualifications below a diploma is set at 10 million tomans, for a diploma at 15 million tomans,' and 'the penalty for those with a bachelor's degree is 25 million tomans,' while 'those with a master's degree will receive exemption cards by paying 30 million tomans' and holders of a doctorate will receive exemption cards by paying 50 million tomans. The 'Qanoon' newspaper reported on 'the reduction of the sentence' for the first accused in the case of eight Facebook activists 'from 21 years in prison to 7 years in prison.' The 'Shahrvand' newspaper reported: 'Some packaged milk has been contaminated with aflatoxin, leading to a halt in their production.' The newspaper noted that the Ministry of Health announced the contamination of 'some packaged milk with aflatoxin,' while they stated that per capita milk consumption in Iran has decreased, with only 4 out of 10 Iranians receiving adequate milk. The 'Arman' newspaper reported on attempts to disrupt Hadi Khamenei's speech in Kerman, stating: 'On Sunday afternoon, Hadi Khamenei's speech at the Islamic Azad University in Kerman was interrupted by slogans from some women present at the session who were holding placards.' The 'Kayhan' newspaper, on its front page, quoted Nasser Seraaj, the Head of the General Inspection Organization, as saying: 'Government officials should speak about economic corruption with evidence' and that the media 'should not reflect every statement.' This newspaper criticized the publication of statements by government officials regarding the dimensions and extent of financial corruption in the previous government, stating: 'These news items each become a topic of media debate for a few days and, of course, provide good fodder for the counter-revolutionaries to see; this is the result of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic system.' The 'Shahrvand' newspaper, while publishing reports and notes about 'the plights of acid attack victims,' emphasized that 'no institution or organization' in Iran 'supports acid attack victims.' Avoz Heydarpoor, a member of parliament, in an interview with 'Shargh' newspaper, provided details about Mohammad Reza Rahimi's record in paying money to representatives of the eighth parliament, stating that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's close team 'has reactivated the election atmosphere, and except for Rahimi, who has gone to prison, the rest of the team are all active' and 'a multi-story building is at the disposal of the head of that team, managing the upcoming elections from there.' This member of the National Security Commission of the ninth parliament said: 'If you trace this money, it leads to Velenjak and some electoral efforts.' 'Rouhani's Strong Warning'; Executive officials must believe in the June 24 vote. The 'Etemad' newspaper headlined its front page with Hassan Rouhani's remarks on Sunday at the 'Resistance Economy in Regional Relations' conference as 'Rouhani's Strong Warning' and quoted the President as saying: 'I once again announce to all governors that any executive officials under your supervision, of course, from our perspective, this faction and that faction, this party or that party does not matter, whichever faction serves the people more, that faction is superior in our view. Titles, labels, this and that, A and B do not matter to us. No servant has the right to be deprived of service.' The President of Iran emphasized that 'executive officials must be those who believe in the people's vote on June 24, 2013,' stating: 'If someone does not believe in the people's vote, they can work and be active in the country but cannot hold a high managerial position in the country; that is unacceptable to the people, the people have said, our opinion is this.' According to the 'Etemad' newspaper, Hassan Rouhani stated that 'I do not care about individuals' backgrounds, political affiliations, and factions, but officials must believe in the people's vote, and if someone does not accept the June 24 vote and the people's vote, they should serve in another position. There are many other positions, places, and posts to serve, but if they want to be a high-ranking official in the country, this is unacceptable. The people will not accept this because we all have a very heavy burden to bear.' The newspaper also quoted the President as saying: 'We must fulfill the promise we made to the people, and if, God forbid, there is any weakness in fulfilling the people's demands and the promises of the eleventh government, the first significant blow will be to public trust and social capital because our greatest asset is social capital.' Rouhani also referred to Iran's nuclear negotiators as 'the frontline soldiers of diplomacy' and stated: 'I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation for the round-the-clock efforts of the frontline soldiers of diplomacy; our nation supports and thanks these frontline fighters.' The President of Iran emphasized: 'The nuclear negotiations proceed within the framework of the interests and dignity of the Iranian nation, and you see that we are moving step by step within this framework.' Rouhani pointed out that 'there is always a small minority,' saying: 'We should not be worried; after all, there is democracy and freedom in this country, and opinions are expressed. Not everyone’s opinions are the same; it is not intended that everything in our country is managed with 100% agreement. We must manage the country with a significant majority that is acceptable. In the nuclear field, from the beginning until now, in every survey we have had, the people's support has been over 80%, and this is important that the government is moving in a direction that has the overwhelming support of the people for this path and way.' According to the 'Etemad' newspaper, regarding the presence of Ali Akbar Salehi and Hossein Fereydoun alongside Mohammad Javad Zarif and members of the Iranian negotiating team in Geneva, he stated: 'The new composition of the negotiating team is a sign of Iran's firm will for interaction with the world.' The reduction of the sentence for the first accused in the case of eight Facebook activists from 21 years to 7 years in prison. The 'Qanoon' newspaper reported on 'the reduction of the punishment' for the first accused in the case of eight Facebook activists 'from 21 to 7 years in prison.' This newspaper quoted Iman Mirzazadeh, the defense lawyer for the first accused in the case of eight Facebook activists, whose defendants were sentenced to a total of 127 years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court, stating: 'By applying Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, my client's punishment has been reduced from 21 years to 7 years in prison.' Iman Mirzazadeh noted that 'by applying Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, which only considers the most severe punishment for the defendants in this case,' he stated: 'My client's punishment has been reduced from 21 years to 7 years in prison,' but the 'ruling for this case has not yet been legally notified to us.' The 'Qanoon' newspaper, without naming the eight Facebook activists who were sentenced to 127 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court, wrote: 'Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced 8 young Facebook activists to a total of 127 years in prison on various charges, including conspiracy to undermine national security, and with an appeal against the ruling, this case was sent to Branch 54 of the Tehran Province Court of Appeals located in the Revolutionary Court, and now the 21-year prison sentence of the first accused in this case has been reduced to 7 years in prison.' The Kalemeh website, close to Green Movement activists, reported in late 2013 about the arrest of 'Naghmeh Shahsavandi,' 'Masoud Qasemi,' 'Farid Akrami,' 'Masoud Talebi,' 'Amir Golestani,' 'Mahdi Reyshahri,' and 'Fariborz Kardanfar' for allegedly managing and participating in their Facebook page by the Revolutionary Guards' intelligence. 'Roya Saberi-Nejad Nobakht,' a British-Iranian citizen, was also mentioned as another defendant in the case of the eight Facebook activists. Roya Saberi-Nejad Nobakht was arrested in October 2013 during a trip to Shiraz for a Facebook comment and was later transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran. 'Contamination of some packaged milk with aflatoxin.' The 'Shahrvand' newspaper reported: 'Some packaged milk has been contaminated with aflatoxin, leading to a halt in their production.' According to this newspaper, the Ministry of Health announced the contamination of 'some packaged milk with aflatoxin,' while they stated that per capita milk consumption in Iran has decreased, with only 4 out of 10 Iranians receiving adequate milk. The 'Shahrvand' newspaper noted that 'the second national conference on healthy milk, held on Sunday, had new news and statistics,' stating: 'Health Ministry officials expressed concern about the low milk consumption in Iran and its impact on public health,' and Hussein Rostegar, head of the reference laboratory of the Food and Drug Organization of the Ministry of Health, announced at this conference that 'investigations have shown that some packaged milk has been contaminated with a toxin called aflatoxin, and their production and distribution have been halted.' Hussein Rostegar emphasized that 'the contamination of aflatoxin, which increases the toxin levels in milk, is due to moldy feed and pesticides used, and this toxin has been observed in some packaged milk, leading to a halt in their production.' The 'Shahrvand' newspaper reminded that aflatoxins are toxins produced by several fungi that grow on animal feed and food, which can cause aflatoxicosis in livestock and humans. Aflatoxins are of greater importance than other fungal toxins due to their carcinogenic effects and the potential for acute poisoning. The head of the reference laboratory of the Food and Drug Organization of the Ministry of Health also mentioned that 'sometimes these contaminants arise from the feed consumed by livestock and poultry, and if this feed is contaminated with metals or moldy and infected with fungi, its metabolism enters the milk. We have received reports of these violations, and we have dealt with them.' Hussein Rostegar also stated: 'If there are farms where the feed is contaminated and livestock consumes moldy bread, the contaminants will be transferred to the milk.' The head of the reference laboratory of the Food and Drug Organization of the Ministry of Health emphasized that 'milk distributed in bulk is not approved by the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Health does not have direct supervision over bulk milk.' He stated: 'Microbial contaminants also exist; if bulk milk is obtained, microbial contaminants may also enter it. Milk is sometimes boiled, and its fat is removed, and instead of animal fat, vegetable fat or palm oil is used; however, this type of fraud has not existed in any milk, and tests are ongoing, so that in the past year, controls have been intensified.' The 'Shahrvand' newspaper also quoted the head of the reference laboratory of the Food and Drug Organization of the Ministry of Health as saying: 'It is our duty to control the quality of milk, and the public should be assured that products that have the Ministry of Health's approval can be consumed safely.' According to this newspaper, Mehran Valayi, the deputy of food and drug at Iran University of Medical Sciences, also stated at this conference: 'Since the milk subsidy was removed, its consumption in family food baskets has decreased.' Attempts to disrupt Hadi Khamenei's speech in Kerman. The 'Arman' newspaper reported that on Sunday afternoon, Hadi Khamenei's speech at the Islamic Azad University in Kerman was interrupted by slogans from some women present at the session who were holding placards. According to this newspaper, Hadi Khamenei, who had gone to this city for the establishment ceremony of the Islamic Association of the Islamic Azad University of Kerman, said at the beginning of this ceremony: 'Mismanagement in previous years has caused many great and good professors in this society to be separated from the country's universities.'