Tehran Prosecutor: Imprisonment and Execution Await Criminals in Currency Cases

The Tehran prosecutor warned importing companies that if they sell their goods at free market rates despite receiving government currency at 4200 tomans, they will face prison sentences of five to twenty years or even execution. According to the Mizan news agency, affiliated with the judiciary, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi stated on Wednesday, August 8, that 53 individuals have been arrested in connection with currency cases and mobile phone imports, and 12 others have been detained regarding car imports, with 106 suspects also banned from leaving the country. In recent months, reports of 'violations' in the import of mobile phones, cars, and other goods imported with government currency have surfaced. The head of Iran's General Inspection Organization claimed in late June that the car ordering website was hacked and 'about five thousand high-end and expensive cars were illegally imported into the country, of which around four thousand have been cleared and entered the market.' The first deputy of the judiciary also announced earlier in August that cases have been opened against 40 companies and the CEO of the Social Security Investment Company has been summoned regarding 'violations' in mobile phone imports with government currency. Meanwhile, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi mentioned that 'the Tehran prosecutor's office has issued 23 indictments in currency and mobile phone cases, resulting in 24 defendants being prosecuted and soon to be tried in court.' This judicial official then warned companies that received government currency at 4200 tomans for imports but failed to fulfill their commitments or sold imported goods at free market prices that severe penalties await them. According to him, these penalties include 'five to twenty years of imprisonment, confiscation of assets obtained from criminal acts, and twenty to seventy-four lashes in public.' If the defendants' actions fall under the charge of corruption on earth, they could face the death penalty if the charges are proven. On the same Wednesday, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology mentioned in an interview with the Young Journalists Club that 'criminals' have been fined more than 43 billion tomans for overpricing. Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi stated, 'Last week, I met with the head of the Trade Organization, who reported that out of 40 companies that had received allocations and conducted imports, inspections had been completed for 24 companies by that day. I also heard from sources that the judiciary has arrested eight of the violating importers.' The Tasnim news agency also reported on the same day the statements of the head of the Basij Organization, who claimed that Basij forces have identified several warehouses of 'hoarded cars, rice, and construction materials' and have arrested some key figures involved in hoarding goods. Gholamhossein Ghaibparvar stated, 'A program for identifying hoarders and those who store goods has been communicated to all resistance levels [of the Basij], and resistance units across the country have been tasked with this.' Iran's markets have been severely affected by the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear agreement and the return of sanctions. This crisis, alongside social and political discontent, has led to protests in various parts of the country, which the Iranian government has somewhat controlled using security forces.