High corruption and scapegoats in Iran

Islam Mohamed

Iranians are caught between the negative effects of the US economic sanctions on their country and the corruption of the ruling elite in this country.

This corruption even increased after the latest intensification of the sanctions.

This increased public anger against the ruling elite which monopolizes the power and the wealth in this country, leaving only the crumbs for ordinary Iranians.

Conflict

The Iranian regime has tried to mitigate the intensity of the public anger by bringing some officials to court. This is, however, part of the ongoing struggle between the different parts of the regime. Some members of the ruling elite only want to get rid of their rivals.

Around 270 Iranian officials were brought to a special court on corruption charges. The Iranian regime has formed special tribunals with a massive mandate with the aim of clamping down on corruption.

The formation of the tribunals followed the eruption of mass protests because of deteriorating economic conditions in Iran.

The Iranian judiciary works hard to give the impression to the general public that it is cracking down on corruption, even as this corruption is so rampant within ruling quarters.

This can explain why the corruption tribunals are keen on broadcasting the proceedings of some corruption trials live on TV.

Scapegoats

Iranian minister of Health and Medical Education, Saeed Namaki, revealed recently that more than $1.3 billion specified for the purchase of medical equipment had disappeared.

He referred to the presence of a network of smugglers who are involved in the embezzlement of public funds.

Namaki said corruption causes the loss of around $2.3 billion every year.

The same corruption, he said, forces his country to import medical equipment, even as it can manufacture the same equipment locally.

Those indicted of corruption included senior officials in major banks.

An Iranian radio, meanwhile, revealed recently that the commander of the Quds Force, Qassem Suleimani was appointed as the head of an Iranian agency that works on the overhaul of holy Shiite sites in Iran, Iraq and Syria.

The radio said $120 million had been earmarked for the work of the agency.

Nonetheless, it said, Suleimani uses this money in bankrolling the activities of his force in Syria and Iraq.

The control imposed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corpse opened the door for a conflict between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and the corpse, after he accused it of harming the Iranian economy.