Iranian justice minister explains delay in corruption case
Mostafa Pourmohammadi, Iran's justice minister, explained why the high-profile corruption case of Babak Zanjani has yet to reach a conclusion.
In an interview with the Iranian Students’ News Agency, Iranian Justice Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi discussed corruption cases and why some appear to be treated differently. The Justice Ministry has little executive authority; it serves more as a liaison between the judiciary and the administration. Pourmohammadi revealed some noteworthy details about the latest corruption cases that occurred under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's administration.
Pourmohammadi was asked why the case of Mehafarid Amir Khosravi was quickly resolved and he was executed but the case of Babak Zanjani appears to be continuing with little information given to the public. Khosravi was executed in May 2014 for involvement in a $2.7 billion embezzlement scheme. Three others were sentenced to death in that case, but their sentences were not carried out. Some even defended Khosravi as a businessman engaged in practices that were common at the time. Shortly before his execution, Khosravi also wrote a private letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; though the contents of the letter were never revealed, some believe his attempt to reach out expedited his execution.
