The Rectangle of Corruption in Oil
In recent days, a tweet by Saeed Aghanji, the editor-in-chief of Iran Gate media and a journalist in the field of anti-corruption, has once again brought up the issue of widespread misconduct in the mechanisms of oil sales and the issuance of banking guarantees in the public sphere. Aghanji, who was the first to expose the issue of trusts and unsupported guarantees in oil sales, is now talking about a case in which more than $9 billion of the country’s resources have not yet been returned.
Formation of an Exclusive Network
According to these investigations, four key figures have played a role in forming a mechanism through which oil and oil products sales have been placed in the hands of a limited circle, effectively eliminating independent private sectors from the competition cycle. The names mentioned in this report are Mohammad Bahmai, Ahmad Dehghan, Khodadad Gharibpour, and Ali Nazi.
According to Aghanji, two of these individuals have previously had judicial rulings or cases but have been re-appointed to sensitive financial and oil positions. He says these appointments facilitated the issuance of hundreds of millions of dollars in unsupported banking guarantees.
First Axis: Banking Guarantees and Trusts
In this narrative, the main role is attributed to the issuance of banking guarantees for oil sales to trusts, a mechanism that Aghanji claims lacks valid backing and is unrecoverable. He alleges that hundreds of millions of dollars in guarantees have been issued for oil sales, but the return of the resulting foreign exchange resources is seriously in doubt, and in total, more than $9 billion has not been returned.
Second Axis: Monopoly in Sales and Transportation
According to this journalist, oil sales have been exclusively placed in the hands of certain individuals and companies, and on the other hand, the transportation of oil and derivatives has also been concentrated within a limited circle. He claims this centralization has crippled the real private sector and eliminated competition.
Recent Developments
Continuing this investigation, Aghanji has reported that Mohammad Bahmai has been arrested and Ali Nazi has been removed from his deputy position. However, he emphasizes that a full investigation and trial of all involved individuals is essential to clarify the dimensions of the case.
Demand for Accountability
In the end, Aghanji, addressing security and judicial institutions, calls for a focus on the main perpetrators of the current situation and announces that he possesses confidential documents that he will publish if necessary to facilitate the return of financial resources.