Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, stated in a speech on Tuesday, September 8, that "corruption cannot be solved with arrests," emphasizing the need to reform regulations and laws that lead to corruption. According to ISNA news agency, he added that "in the fight against corruption, we must address the roots; if someone has received an unjust salary, it cannot be resolved with courts and punishment, but we must tackle the roots." Rouhani further mentioned that the government is working on addressing these roots but did not provide additional details on potential plans for a "fundamental solution" to corruption. He described the existence of "monopolies" and "golden signatures" as "corruption-generating" and stated that such corrupt practices must be confronted. His comments came a day after Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesperson for the judiciary, mentioned that no cases related to astronomical salaries from the government had been submitted to the judiciary. Ejei noted that it is the government's responsibility to introduce offenders to the judiciary if they have committed crimes and to return the funds, adding that no cases of these violations have been reported to the judiciary so far. He emphasized that if the judiciary intervenes tomorrow, summons some individuals, and punishes others, there should be no complaints about it. The disclosure of the salary slips of some government officials has become a serious challenge for the Iranian government. Rouhani had previously stated that oversight bodies had not acted "accurately and timely" regarding salary slips, and he added that the publication of a few salary slips does not erase "past thefts." Rouhani continued his speech by saying, "Some harm the hopes of the people using the media and public funds, targeting the hopes of the people." The Iranian President has repeatedly criticized the performance of media outlets that he claims have a "permanent security margin." In November 2015, he stated that "some media outlets, with the people's money and public funds, operate against the dignity of the government and against the elected government of the people." In recent months, media affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Kayhan newspaper, and state television have severely attacked the government and Rouhani himself regarding the issue of salary slips of some government officials.
Rouhani: Corruption Cannot Be Solved with Arrests
President Hassan Rouhani emphasized that corruption cannot be effectively addressed through arrests and called for reforming laws that enable corrupt practices. His remarks follow criticism of the government's handling of astronomical salaries, highlighting ongoing tensions between the government and judiciary. This issue is significant as it reflects broader concerns about governance and accountability in Iran.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
President Hassan Rouhani emphasized the need for legal reforms to tackle corruption, rather than relying on arrests. This follows criticism over the handling of high salaries for government officials.
- Rouhani called for addressing the root causes of corruption.
- Judiciary spokesperson Ejei stated no cases of salary violations have been submitted to the judiciary.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Corruption has been a longstanding issue in Iran, affecting public trust and economic performance. The exposure of high salaries among officials has intensified scrutiny.
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%