Son of Ataollah Mohajerani Arrested in Connection with Missing Oil Rig

Fars News Agency reported the arrest of the son of Ataollah Mohajerani, former Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran, in relation to the case of the missing Fortuna oil rig. This report, published on Wednesday, November 18, cites 'informed sources' and states that Mohammad Mohsen Mohajerani was arrested by the judge of the Special Economic Crimes Court. The story of the missing Fortuna oil rig was made public in late October of last year when 14 members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly wrote a letter to the Speaker of the Parliament requesting an investigation into the matter. According to these representatives, the Fortuna oil drilling rig was sold during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency through a Turkish company to the Iranian Offshore Oil Company, which is under the Ministry of Oil of Iran, but the rig was never delivered to the Iranian side. However, Fars now writes that this oil rig was sold to Iran through the Emirati company DEAN for $87 million, but instead of going to Iran, it went directly to the Gulf of Mexico. The news agency then claims that during the purchase of this oil rig, 'two oil brokers' were involved, one of whom was Mohammad Hassan Mohajerani, who 'received a $300,000 advance payment for this contract.' Fars had previously reported in mid-August that Ataollah Mohajerani's son was accused of playing a role in the missing oil rig case and wrote that he had dealings with the main broker of the rig, a person named Reza Mostafavi Tabatabai, and for each contract he concluded for the purchase of oil equipment, he 'took a 40% share.' At that time, however, Mohammad Mohsen Mohajerani denied this report in a statement, calling it an act of 'preemptive escape' by those who are 'the main accused' in this case. He wrote: 'Some political-economic figures and certain media affiliated with specific institutions that claim to be principled are trying to escape forward by mentioning my name and the title of being a son of a notable family and extending accusations to my relatives and linking the issue of the missing rig to my legal activities in the country, seeking to find an escape for the illegal actions of their supporters in looting public assets.' Mr. Mohajerani ultimately stated that all his economic activities were 'within the framework of the commercial laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran' and that he is ready to answer any questions in court regarding the case.