By Staff Writer
According to Amir Khojaste, the head of the Iranian regime parliament’s “Combat with Economic Corruption” section, there is a shocking number of law violations going on within the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade; and that to date, there have been more than 34000 cases of illegally registered goods, with only a small portion pertaining to automobiles.
The state-run website “Tabnak” quotes Khojaste on this subject: “With regards to illegal registrations of goods, we will soon release some statistics that are sure to shock everyone with their unbelievable figures. Besides automobiles, many other products are on the list; including sugar, tires, livestock and bird feed, and various essential products”.
Khojaste also points out to the fact that these claims were brought to light two years ago, only to be denied and even sued by the authorities then: “The problem goes beyond just some workers in the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade; it even goes beyond the directing generals in place. The actual problem stems from the deputy ministers who have had the main share in all these crimes”.
He continues to emphasise that some very “shocking” figures will soon be revealed about complex mafia networks who spend 4200 Toman currencies to import products which they then sell privately and with much higher prices.
In an announcement from 14th July, Hassan Rouhani has interestingly admitted to these corruptions in import and sales of foreign automobiles, from government officials, computer companies, and importers.
On 24th July, the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade, published a list of 100 companies and people who have been forging the illegal registration of these automobiles. According to Tehran’s Attorney General, one initialled as “F.T”, exited the country shortly before the revealing of these crimes.
So far, 4 have reportedly been arrested; two being the General Managers of the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade; and the other two being the handlers and designers of the registration system.
The illegal registrations of goods seem to have begun from the very same time that the government planned to unify the national currency and normalise the rate of imports; i.e., when Central Bank decided for essential products to be sold with 4200 Toman currencies. But what happened afterwards were increase of prices, rarity and hoarding of products, and illegal trading.
Just 5 years ago, when Rouhani became the president, one dollar was worth 3000 Toman. Now, it is a shocking 9000 Toman at free market!
The head of the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade, i.e., Mohammad Shariatmadari, admitted in a TV program, to the illegal registrations of automobiles at the time of Mohammadreza Nematzade’s management; which of course led to the multiplication of the wealth of those involved.
Shariatmadari also clarifies that out of all the illegally registered goods, 6481 have been labelled as automobiles.
According to the Regime affiliated Tasnim news (27th July 2018), only a few of these automobiles (which lack a valid registration) have been withdrawn from Tehran’s exhibitions thus-far.