Social Security Lawyer: Mortazavi Was an Accomplice of Zanjani

The lawyer for Iran's Social Security Organization in the lawsuit against Saeed Mortazavi, the former head of this organization, claims that Mr. Mortazavi personally wrote 'five' checks from this organization totaling over 444 billion Japanese yen and gave them to Babak Zanjani to pay off his debt to the Ministry of Oil. Mojtaba Nazari, the lawyer for this organization, emphasized in an interview with Shargh newspaper published on Thursday, May 24, that Saeed Mortazavi was an 'accomplice' of Babak Zanjani. According to him, the amount on these checks was 'two billion yen' more than the amount agreed upon between Babak Zanjani and the Social Security Organization, and former officials of this organization cited 'visual error' as the reason for this discrepancy. The Iranian Labor News Agency, ILNA, had previously reported that Saeed Mortazavi had ordered the transfer of 138 companies from this organization to Babak Zanjani and had given him five 'guaranteed' checks totaling 442 billion Japanese yen. In this context, Hossein Dehdashti, head of the Iranian Parliament's investigative committee on the Social Security Organization, stated in December 2014 that these checks were in the possession of the Ministry of Oil. The lawyer for the Social Security Organization mentioned in his interview that these checks have not yet 'returned' to this organization. According to Mr. Nazari, the five checks from the Social Security Organization amounting to '444 billion 524 million 454 thousand and 500 Japanese yen' were handed over to Babak Zanjani to pay off his debt to the Ministry of Oil. He added: 'The amount on the checks was written two billion more than the agreed amount... When asked why this happened, they said it was a visual error. Additionally... they took the rate of one hundred yen as forty thousand rials, while the rate in the free market was lower, meaning this was also to the detriment of the Social Security Organization.' He continued: 'Mr. Tiradad Khani, the then-financial manager of the organization, stated in a letter sent to the then-financial and administrative deputy of the organization that the amounts were written by Mr. Mortazavi. He wrote the checks himself, meaning he got up and went to the Bank Maskan and said write the check now and give it to me immediately, which is not a common practice.' Saeed Mortazavi has repeatedly denied the transfer of 138 companies of the Social Security Organization to Babak Zanjani, claiming that 'not even a matchstick has been with him from the Social Security Organization.' In response to Mr. Mortazavi's statement, the lawyer for the Social Security Organization said: 'In any case, an agreement was made, a check was given to him, and it was agreed that money would come to the organization. Now, even if this money or its equivalent had come to the organization, it would still have caused significant losses to the organization, but fortunately, due to issues such as sanctions, it was prevented or due to issues that arose for him and the government changed.' Mr. Nazari added: 'There is a question that if the check is guaranteed, why are there five? It could be one; five checks are for him to use again next time. He has gone each time with these checks and bought several oil tankers and has not brought the money either.' He emphasized: 'It does not state on the checks that it is guaranteed; it is just a check... In fact, it is Mr. Mortazavi who should go to prison and the neighboring cell because he was an accomplice.' Babak Zanjani, who is said to have cooperated with the Iranian Ministry of Oil during the intensification of international sanctions against Iran under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government in selling oil and transferring the money inside the country, was arrested in January 2014 for failing to pay his debt to the Ministry of Oil. The lawyer for the Social Security Organization, in another part of his remarks, referred to the payment of 'varied' gifts and bonuses during Mr. Mortazavi's management, saying: 'Codes have been placed next to the names of the recipients. If you really have no problem, why is there a need to place a code? One of these is Mr. Heydari-Far, who has played a role in these arrests.' Previously, Shargh newspaper had reported on the 'million-dollar' payments made by Saeed Mortazavi to Hassan Zareh Dehnowi and Ali Akbar Heydari-Far, judges convicted in the Kahrizak detention center case. The court in the Kahrizak case sentenced Saeed Mortazavi, Ali Akbar Heydari-Far, and Hassan Zareh Dehnowi (known as Judge Haddad) to permanent dismissal from judicial services and five years of dismissal from government services.