With Iran hoping to usher in a new post-sanctions economic era, senior officials are speaking out about the need to fight corruption and reduce smuggling.
The latest frank comment on corruption came this week from Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli. He names “financial indiscipline” as one of Iran’s key problems. He earlier warned against the use of “dirty money from drug-trafficking” in Iran’s politics. If Iran is not vigilant, smugglers and those who pursue dirty money will look for supporters who are in power, he says. Those smugglers may interfere in the political sphere using various methods, including the transfer of power via elections, planned for later in the year, he notes. The minister says that smuggling proceeds could greatly damage the country’s economy, disrupt competition, create monopolies and lead to capital flight. (CONTINUED - 746 WORDS)
