Rouhani's Advisor Denies Receiving 5 Billion Tomans from Babak Zanjani

Akbar Turkan, advisor to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, denied the statements of Hamid Rasai, a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, regarding the receipt of five billion tomans from Babak Zanjani by Hassan Rouhani's election campaign. Turkan, who was the deputy head of Rouhani's election campaign, stated on Sunday, February 19, in an interview with the Mizan news agency, that "this statement is irrelevant and I deny it, and I clearly say that this matter is not true." Previously, Rasai, a critic of Rouhani's government, had written on his website that "rumors" suggest a "financial assistance of five billion tomans" from Babak Zanjani, a defendant in financial and economic corruption, to Rouhani's election campaign. Rasai added that this amount is "nothing compared to the 10 or 15 million tomans" that [Mohammad Reza] Rahimi gave to some members of the eighth parliament, nothing!" However, according to Akbar Turkan, this accusation is "raised by those who have taken money from [Mohammad Reza Rahimi], the former first vice president, and want to change public perception with this trick." The current advisor to the Iranian president has expressed readiness to present documents from Rouhani's election campaign to "clarify what expenses" were incurred during the last elections. Babak Zanjani, a businessman affiliated with the Islamic Republic, is said to have cooperated with the Ministry of Oil to sell oil and transfer its money to Iran after international sanctions against Iran intensified. Last year, he was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison for failing to pay his debts. Bijan Zanganeh, the Minister of Oil, stated that Zanjani's debt to this ministry exceeds 8 trillion tomans. Rasai denied his disqualification from public service. One day before Rasai raised the allegation of receiving money by Rouhani's campaign from Babak Zanjani, it was reported that he himself had been accused of "violations" by one of the officials. Mohammad Ashrafi Isfahani, head of the preliminary committee investigating administrative violations at the Iranian presidency, announced on Saturday, February 18, a "five-year disqualification" for Rasai from "government responsibilities" due to "violations." Ashrafi Isfahani did not provide much explanation about Rasai's accusations but stated: "Those who have violations, especially financial violations, their violations are in no way forgivable and must be thoroughly and precisely investigated." Ashrafi Isfahani also criticized Rasai for mentioning his name in this case and deemed him "culpable" in this matter. On the other hand, Hamid Rasai, the representative of Tehran in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, accused Ashrafi Isfahani of first mentioning his name in an interview with IRNA. In a response sent to the Islamic Republic News Agency, Rasai stated that the preliminary committee investigating administrative violations at the presidency does not have legal authority to handle his case and that the disqualification order has not been communicated to him. Rasai, who was the director of culture and Islamic guidance in Qom before entering parliament, stated that the case in question "relates to about seven years ago" and "was previously addressed in the special court for clergy and was dismissed with acquittal." Rasai criticized the "media atmosphere for silencing critics" by Rouhani's government, warning that this issue "will definitely have the opposite effect, and the gentlemen should await my main statements in the public assembly of parliament."