On Oct. 5, unconfirmed reports about the detention of First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri’s brother surfaced in Iranian media. One day later, Jahangiri confirmed the reports, but distanced himself and President Hassan Rouhani’s administration from his brother, saying his brother never held a governmental position. While it may be true that Mahdi Jahangiri, the detained brother, had no position in government, he is known as one of the most prominent merchants in Iran and a founder of the Tourism Bank.
Hinting at the possibility that hard-liners have orchestrated the arrest of his brother for political purposes, the vice president said at a conference on Oct. 7, “There is no red line in countering corruption, and nobody should have immunity.”