“Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei”: Babak Zanjani’s Assets Transferred to Tehran
Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei stated that Babak Zanjani’s assets have been transferred to Tehran and will cover his debts.
Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, head of Iran’s judiciary, announced on Monday, the 30th of Bahman, during a press conference, the identification of Babak Zanjani’s assets abroad and their transfer to Tehran. He stated that according to preliminary expert assessments, these assets will be sufficient to cover his debts and damages. Without specifying the amount of Babak Zanjani’s assets, he claimed that if we add his previously returned assets, there would still be a surplus.
Babak Zanjani was arrested in December 2013 following a complaint by the Ministry of Oil and was sentenced to death on charges of “corruption on earth,” “disruption of the country’s economic order,” “extensive fraud against the National Oil Company,” and “money laundering of two billion euros.” This sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2016.
Ahmad Mortazavi-Moghaddam, chief of the Supreme Court, reported in June 2021 the possibility of pardon and reduction of Zanjani’s sentence in case of cooperation and return of assets. Mohseni-Ejei said in today’s press conference: “After the Supreme Court’s opinion was announced, Babak Zanjani declared that he had four billion dollars in one country. He also mentioned five or six other countries where he had funds. Delegations sent to the countries claimed by this defendant initially did not find any assets until recently, when he introduced substantial assets that were transferred to Tehran.” Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei did not provide any clarification regarding Babak Zanjani’s status, change of sentence, or his release.
The status of Babak Zanjani remains unclear after 10 years of embezzlement and large-scale fraud against the country, for which he was sentenced to death. Even claims of his pardon and release in case of cooperation have been raised. This is while in the past year, following the outbreak of public protests, many innocent people have been accused through case fabrication by the Islamic Republic government and executed. People who had no documents or evidence of the charges against them and were executed only for protesting, while individuals whose hands were in the same bowl as the Islamic Republic government, who receive death sentences for fraud, plunder, theft, and other crimes, have their cases closed and pardoned upon cooperation.
