PHOTO: Tehran Friday Prayer leader “Expectation of people is that officials will be tried”

Iran’s Friday Prayer leaders have called for trials of the State officials accused in the “payslips scandal” that has taken over Iranian politics.

The Tehran Friday Prayer Leader, Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi, said:

The people voted for those individuals to be entrusted with the public treasury. The people want to see how the country’s officials will respond to these types of salaries. The expectation of the people is that those people who illegally withdrew excessive money from the treasury will be tried.

The scandal began in May with the exposure of eight officials from the State Insurance Company who had received hundreds of thousands of dollars in salaries, bonuses, and perquisites. It expanded in June with revelations about officials in other areas such as education and health care.

As the Supreme Leader demanded action, President Rouhani ordered an inquiry and the heads of four banks were dismissed. Last week, one of the four, Ali Rastegar Sorkhei of Bank Mallat, and his deputy were arrested by the Revolutionary Guards.

See Iran Daily, July 20: Top Banker Arrested as Salaries Scandal Expands

Call for Government Explanation

Hardline outlets have tried to implicate President Rouhani’s inner circle, claiming that both Rouhani’s brother Hossein Fereydoun and 1st Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri are connected to excessive bonuses.

The Tabriz Friday Prayer Leader, Ayatollah Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari, called on the Government to “explain” its policy “in a clear report to the people”: “The various people [implicated in the scandal] must not be allowed to resign from their own positions only to be appointed to other offices.”

The Karaj Friday Prayer Leader, Ayatollah Mohammad Mehdi Hosseini Hamedani, complained:

Apparently there are no serious efforts to investigate economic corruption. My recommendation is to take action and not create distrust and disappointment in society.

The people seriously demand the administration and the relevant institutions decisively confront corrupt officials.

Meanwhile, the Guardian Council said that any involvement in the scandal could lead to disqualification from elections, including next May’s Presidential ballot.

(hat tip to Iran Tracker for translations)