Iran Khodro CEO arrested after dismissal
Hashem Yakehzare, CEO of Iran Khodro Company, was arrested in his office. Yakehzare's arrest was carried out by judicial officers with a court order. A few hours earlier, government spokesman Rabiei had announced the dismissal of the CEO of Iran Khodro.
Not even a few hours after the news of the "replacement" of Hashem Yeke Zare, CEO of Iran Khodro Company, was published, on the evening of Monday, August 19, a number of managers of the two automobile companies, "Iran Khodro" and "SAIPA," were arrested.
Fars News Agency reported that Yeke Zare, CEO of Iran Khodro, was arrested by judicial officers at around 5:00 PM Tehran time while he was at his workplace.
Government spokesman Ali Rabiei had announced the dismissal of Iran Khodro CEO Hashem Yekezare before his arrest. Rabiei stated that the reason for the dismissal of Iran Khodro CEO Hashem Yekezare was “intentional and uncoordinated increase in car prices.”
According to IRNA, Rabiei told reporters on August 18: "Because the CEO of Iran Khodro intentionally and without coordination increased the price of cars, he will be dismissed and a person named Abbas Aliabadi will start working as the CEO of Iran Khodro."
Rabiei also said that the CEO of Saipa Automotive has also been "banned from leaving" due to a complaint from a customer.
The "Ferraro" website wrote, simultaneously with Rabiei's comments about replacing the automotive company's managers: "The news of the change in management of Iran Khodro was raised today by the government spokesman, while the change in the company's CEO must be made by a vote of the members of Iran Khodro's board of directors."
Reason for the dismissal and arrest of Iran Khodro CEO
Domestic media have mostly stated that the reason for the arrest of Iran Khodro's CEO is "changing the price of cars."
The Rokna news and information website quoted Hamid Garmabi, a member of the Industries and Mines Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, referring to the dismissal of the company's CEO, writing: "Various problems and ups and downs, especially in the last year, in the automotive industry, led to the dismissal of Hashem Yeke Zare, CEO of Iran Khodro."
The MP continued: "Unfortunately, in the last 8 months, Iran Khodro Company has had many problems, including irregular deliveries to customers on time and failure to reduce the amount approved. These problems led to the dismissal of Yeke Zare as CEO of Iran Khodro Company."
Ejei's statements about the car manufacturers' strike
Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, First Deputy Minister of the Judiciary, said on Monday, August 19, in a meeting with prominent figures in South Khorasan Province, that "they were only giving the car to 15 dealerships in order to raise the price."
Ejei also added: "One of the automakers whose case is being investigated has 600 dealerships across the country, but it selectively selects 15 specific dealerships and gives them its products so that they can sell these cars to the public at high prices as demand increases."
Source: DW
