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Mehdi Dehghan

The fight against corruption in Iran has always been limited to conferences, seminars, and symposiums, and no one has the courage or ability to address the root of the problem, even the president. According to experts and researchers, corruption has become a systemic issue in Iran and it does not disappear with changes in government; instead, it is transferred from one government to another. In a way, officials follow one of Newton’s laws in dealing with corruption. However, the leaders of the Islamic Republic know very well that ultimately, corruption in Iran can lead to consequences such as the collapse of the political system, which is why concerns about reducing corruption in society have increased.

Naturally, the output of various corruptions leads to disastrous consequences for the country. For example, the high percentage of corruption in the economic sector causes domestic and foreign investors to flee and invest their capital and liquidity in fake and unproductive markets. Corruption has been deeply rooted in the Islamic Republic for the past 37 years, and this problem became more visible and blatant during the Ahmadinejad government, with figures like Babak Zanjani and Mahafarid Amir Khosravi being named as showcases of corruption and rent-seeking in Iran.

Economic and social experts have always warned about the consequences of corruption, but there is no willingness to listen and every day in the ruling political system, the ears are exposed to corrupt and embezzlement actions of officials, which is particularly severe in the economic sector and a prime example of this is smuggling through official and unofficial channels.

In recent years, smuggling goods in Iran has moved from unofficial and covert channels and is now openly entering the country through official channels. This has led to the Minister of Economy, Tayeb Nia, being summoned to parliament multiple times, but the issue has not been pursued by parliament members for unknown reasons.

Recently, news has been published about the arrest and detention of several employees of Iran’s customs and ports organization, for involvement in smuggling and clearance of goods. However, the reality is that the situation of smuggling and corruption in Iran is more severe and deep-rooted than the arrest of a few employees. Behind the scenes, it is evident that powerful and wealthy military, security, and high-ranking officials are involved, which has paralyzed the government’s ability to address the issue of corruption, especially smuggling. Even if the relevant ministers are not fueling the fire of corruption with gasoline and firewood, they are certainly spectators of the situation. Because if they were to address the issue of corruption, they would be impeached or dismissed by the government. According to official statistics, the annual amount of goods smuggling in Iran is between 22 to 25 billion dollars. However, due to the unaccountability of the exact amount and volume of smuggling, this is an approximate figure and the depth of the tragedy

In general, the influence of the clerical authorities and high-ranking officials can be seen in the import of goods, including sugar, Indian rice, Brazilian meat, potatoes, and seven types of essential goods to the country. Ibrahim Nikoo, a member of the Economic Commission of the Ninth Parliament, stated in an interview that the lack of enforcement of parliamentary laws has led to corruption and smuggling of goods. He said, “Unfortunately, some individuals have influence in organizations and institutions, which allows them to easily import goods into the country.”

They are plundering the country’s wealth.

In any case, in order to combat smuggling and uncontrolled imports, attention must be paid to the issue of corruption at the level of the chief of police. Hossein Raghefar, a member of the university faculty and an Iranian economist, has always warned about the consequences of corruption and believes that the only way to advance the Iranian economy is to solve the problem of corruption and prevent the interference of military and law enforcement officials in the economy. However, President Rouhani of Iran, in the anti-corruption conference, identified the Revolutionary Guards as the main factor in the increase of corruption in Iran and said: “The concentration of power is the cause of corruption and the gathering of guns, money, power, and media in the hands of a corrupt institution.”

After the end of the Ahmadinejad government, a series of meaningful meetings were held on the topic of fighting corruption and increasing embezzlement. However, the warnings about fighting corruption in the Rouhani government were not taken seriously.

People who know how to corrupt well.

Hassan Abedi Jafari, an economist, believes that corruption in Iran is becoming systemic and that representatives of the parliament and supervisory institutions are also involved in it. Currently, there are 34 supervisory institutions in the country, and if these institutions become corrupted, it is a sign of the systemic nature of corruption. On the other hand, all Iranian presidents have had the main slogan of fighting corruption, but so far we have seen the arrest of their associates and supporters on charges of corruption.

According to this economist, another form of corruption in Iran is white-collar corruption; individuals who know how to engage in corruption without getting caught by the law and are familiar with the methods and ways of corruption. The systematic spread of corruption in society leads to an increase in costs. One of the consequences of corruption in society is the paralysis of the development process. Corruption does not allow for the implementation of plans, including development plans, and generally neutralizes and paralyzes all planning and projects. Other consequences of corruption in a society include the smuggling of goods, an increase in injustice, and the destruction of competition.

The flourishing of the activities of smugglers and people’s involvement in corruption.

Mohammad Amin Ghaneirad, a sociologist, also believes that nowadays in institutions, individuals who should not be corrupted, take bribes or engage in various forms of corruption. By observing historical background, people’s reaction to the phenomenon of corruption is becoming contaminated with this problem. In general, it can be said that the direct result of corruption is injustice, and when corruption becomes systemic, it is not these individuals who are corrupt, but rather the conditions and system that become corrupt.

With a general look at the age of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, it can be understood that the increase in smuggling, money laundering, bribery, embezzlement, tax evasion, fraud in customs duties, and exploitation of labor force have been among the most important outputs of the ruling system’s administrative system.