Iran Khodro CEO Arrested After Dismissal
Hashem Yekehzareh, the CEO of Iran Khodro company, was arrested at his office. Yekehzareh’s arrest was carried out by judicial authorities on the basis of a court order. Hours earlier, government spokesman Rabiei had announced the dismissal of Iran Khodro’s CEO.
Only a few hours had passed since the announcement of “replacement” of Hashem Yekehzareh, CEO of Iran Khodro, when on the afternoon of Monday, 28 Mordad (August 19), several managers from the two automaking companies “Iran Khodro” and “Saipa” were arrested.
FARS News Agency reported that Yekehzareh, CEO of Iran Khodro, was arrested around 5 p.m. Tehran time while present at his workplace by judicial authorities on the basis of a court order.
Ali Rabiei, the government spokesman, announced the dismissal of Iran Khodro’s CEO before his arrest. Rabiei stated the reason for Hashem Yekehzareh’s dismissal, CEO of Iran Khodro, as “intentional and uncoordinated increase in car prices.”
According to IRNA, Rabiei said on 28 Mordad in a gathering with journalists: “Because the CEO of Iran Khodro intentionally and without coordination increased car prices, he is being dismissed and a person named Abbas Alaabadi will take over as CEO of Iran Khodro.”
Rabiei also said the CEO of Saipa automotive company has also been banned from leaving the country due to a complaint from a customer.
The website “FaraRo” simultaneously with Rabiei’s remarks about the management change in Iran Khodro wrote: “The news of the management change at Iran Khodro was announced today by the government spokesman while the change of CEO of this company should be done by a vote of the members of Iran Khodro’s board of directors.”
Reason for Dismissal and Arrest of Iran Khodro CEO
Domestic media outlets announced the reason for the arrest of Iran Khodro’s CEO mostly as “car price change.”
ROKNA news agency, quoting Hamid Golmabadi, a member of the Industries and Mines Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly with reference to the dismissal of the company’s CEO, wrote: “Various problems and upheavals, particularly in the past year in the automotive industry, led to the dismissal of Hashem Yekehzareh, CEO of Iran Khodro.”
This parliamentarian continued: “Unfortunately, in the past 8 months, Iran Khodro company has faced numerous problems including disorder in car delivery to customers on the scheduled date and failure to comply with approved measures, and these problems led to Yekehzareh’s dismissal as CEO of Iran Khodro company.”
Ajeei’s Comments on Automakers’ Manipulation
Gholamhossein Mohseni Ajeei, the First Vice President of the Judiciary, on Monday, 28 Mordad (August 19), in a meeting with prominent figures from South Khorasan Province, said that “they were selling cars through only 15 dealerships to drive up the price.”
Ajeei also added: “One of the automakers whose case is under investigation has 600 dealerships across the country but through manipulation selects 15 specific dealerships and gives them its production so that with increased demand they sell these cars to people at much higher prices.”
Source: DW
