Bijan Zanganeh, Iran's Minister of Oil, responded on Sunday, November 1, to statements made by Babak Zanjani, an Iranian businessman accused of financial corruption, in court, stating that some individuals circumvented sanctions by bypassing the people and economy of Iran. According to the IRNA news agency, the oil minister noted that the people of Iran are owed approximately 130,000 tomans by Babak Zanjani, saying, 'Some circumvented sanctions, bypassing the people and economy of Iran, imposing the greatest pressures on the Iranian nation in the most difficult conditions.' On Saturday, Babak Zanjani, in his first defense session in court, accused Bijan Zanganeh and the Ministry of Oil of political maneuvering and blackening the image of others. Reports indicate that Zanjani claimed, 'The issue is not the collection of oil money but the lack of a bank account for its collection. The oil minister has raised this issue for political settling of scores and party work.' This businessman accused of financial corruption added, 'Bijan Zanganeh has a managed directive for political actions and dealing with critics, and for this reason, he claims that sanctions have nothing to do with the Ministry of Oil and seeks help from the judiciary with noise and blackening.' In response to Zanjani's remarks about the payment of money and the lack of an account number from the Ministry of Oil for debt payment, the Iranian oil minister said, 'You should deposit this money into your account or the court and say there is $2.7 billion in my account; that would ease our minds that the money exists; ultimately, the Islamic Republic will collect this money from you.' According to Tasnim, Bijan Zanganeh stated that Babak Zanjani 'claimed' he would pay his debt on Tuesday, saying, 'Some circumvented sanctions, bypassing the people and economy of Iran, imposing the greatest pressures on the Iranian nation in the most difficult conditions.' The Iranian oil minister also pointed out that 'these days we must be careful that the roles of debtor and creditor do not get reversed,' stating, 'Someone appears who says 2 billion euros is pocket change for us; how much do you have that 2 billion euros is pocket change for you? But for the people of Iran, 2 billion euros is not pocket change.' The Iranian Ministry of Oil states that Babak Zanjani did not pay $2.7 billion from the sale of Iranian oil while circumventing Iran's sanctions, and Bijan Zanganeh has repeatedly stated that Mr. Zanjani's assets 'do not cover his debts.'
Zanganeh Responds to Babak Zanjani: Some Circumvented Sanctions by Bypassing Iran's Economy
Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh responded to Babak Zanjani's court statements, accusing him of bypassing the Iranian economy to evade sanctions. Zanjani, accused of financial corruption, claimed the issue was a lack of a bank account for payment, while Zanganeh emphasized the financial burden on the Iranian people. This exchange highlights ongoing tensions regarding corruption and accountability in Iran's economic landscape.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh publicly responded to accusations by businessman Babak Zanjani, who is on trial for financial corruption. Zanganeh accused Zanjani of bypassing Iran's economy to evade sanctions and failing to pay significant debts from oil sales.
- Babak Zanjani is accused of not paying $2.7 billion from oil sales.
- Zanganeh emphasized the financial burden on the Iranian people due to these actions.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has faced extensive international sanctions, particularly targeting its oil sector, leading to economic hardships and necessitating creative financial strategies by businesses.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%