The Iranian regime’s media will periodically release some news about the corruption that is so prevalent in the government. Earlier this week, a state-run newspaper claimed that the enormity of embezzlement and corruption in the country is far too big to ever be able to correct.
Javan newspaper claimed: “Iran’s economy is faced with a real challenge. The astronomical figures of embezzlements and corruptions revealed every once in a while point to a sick economy. If until a few years ago we were optimistic that a rebuke by the judiciary could save this sick-in-bed economy from the scourge of embezzlers and keep it alive, today, however, with such large numbers appearing every day on the front pages of newspapers and ironically being endorsed by the judiciary in their press conferences, we’re almost running out of hope.”
It continued: “There was a time when a 300-billion-toman (US $ 86 million) embezzlement seemed so huge that the least demand shouted by people was a death sentence for the embezzlers. But when we heard of a thousand-billion-toman embezzlement for which no decisive measure was taken, we passed it by with a quick look, so that today it’s quite normal to speak of $857 million, $2/3 billion and even $3/5 billion embezzlements.”
The article pointed out that it is a very sad situation when such huge amounts of financial fraud are met with indifference. It said that people see the money as if it has been “legitimately transferred from one pocket to another.”
It added: “Quite sadly, it should be pointed out that today, it’s more or less being whispered among people. how is it possible for people to remain optimistic when they see that the clues found during the inspection process of a person involved in a billion-dollar embezzlement point to a first-degree relative of an official in the system, turning him into the talk of the town, and despite all that he still attends all ceremonies and meetings.”
State media also announced that around 5.4 million dollars was put into the Teachers Investment Fund Corporation (TIFCO) from the pension fund for teachers.
Yesterday Tasnim News Agency said that there was a fraud of around $2.3 billion from the Teachers Investment Fund Corporation. Several employees have been arrested. It has been announced as one of the most serious incidences of fraud in the country.
The trust of teachers is trying to be restored with actions such as changing the members of boards of directors but it will not be an easy task.
