Edaalate ‘Ali
The Iranian regime’s corruption is deeply entrenched within its core institutions, particularly the Basij, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (VAJA). These organizations function not only as pillars of the state’s repressive apparatus but also as vast networks of economic exploitation, nepotism, and self-enrichment for those at the top. The case of the Iranian Oil Terminals Company is a perfect illustration of this rot, where political patronage and cronyism have placed corrupt Basij operatives in charge of billion-dollar operations with impunity.
At the center of this corruption is Abbas Asadrouz, whose tenure as CEO of the Oil Terminals Company has been defined by unchecked financial abuse. Having already been dismissed once for corruption, he was reinstated with the backing of Tajgerdon, a notoriously corrupt politician who had previously been denied credentials for his illicit dealings. This pattern of rotating out disgraced officials only to later reinstate them with even more power is emblematic of the IRGC-Basij’s stranglehold over Iran’s economic infrastructure. Asadrouz’s reappointment is not an isolated case but part of a broader systemic issue where corrupt figures are rewarded rather than punished.
His right-hand man, Abbas Soleimani, a high-ranking Basij member, has used his position to funnel wealth into his own pockets. Soleimani, known as “Abbas Khaliband,” has turned procurement contracts and resource allocation into personal revenue streams. The corruption extends to the hiring of known fraudsters such as Gharibi, who was previously dismissed for corruption yet has been brought back into the company with full access to its resources. These individuals, shielded by the Basij hierarchy, exploit state assets with impunity, from illegal salary schemes to outright theft of company goods, including high-voltage electrical cables.
The abuse is not limited to financial crimes. Under the pretense of religious piety, these figures also engage in coercion, forcing widowed women into marriages with company officials, a practice that exposes the grotesque hypocrisy of the Basij’s so-called moral governance. Meanwhile, Norouzi Far, another high-ranking Basij figure and one of Asadrouz’s most trusted deputies, has ensured that his own family members are placed in lucrative positions within the company, further entrenching the culture of nepotism.
Beyond the economic plunder, the Basij’s role in political repression is equally insidious. Pournazari, the head of the company’s Basij division, has played a direct role in suppressing dissent. During the 1401 protests, he forced staff into Basij uniforms and sent them to attack demonstrators with batons. This is not just an oil company but a paramilitary operation masquerading as a state enterprise, where economic control and violent suppression go hand in hand.
The corruption of the Oil Terminals Company is just one example in a broader network of IRGC and Basij-dominated industries. The IRGC, through its economic arm Khatam al-Anbiya, controls vast sectors of Iran’s economy, using front companies and money-laundering schemes to evade sanctions while enriching its leadership. The Ministry of Intelligence and Security (VAJA) serves as the enforcer, ensuring that whistleblowers are silenced and political dissidents crushed. Intelligence agents operate hand-in-hand with these corrupt networks, protecting their economic interests while conducting cyber operations against foreign adversaries and internal threats alike.
Iran’s cyber warfare capabilities are another extension of this corruption and control. Companies like Eeleyanet Gostar operate under the guise of cybersecurity while developing malware for espionage and suppression of dissent. The AVAT malware detection system, ostensibly designed for cybersecurity, serves as a tool for intelligence gathering and surveillance against political opponents. The Iranian cyber apparatus is not just about external aggression but an internal weapon to maintain the regime’s control over its own people.
At the highest levels, the Iranian state functions as a mafia, where power is preserved through a combination of economic exploitation, violent suppression, and systematic deception. The IRGC’s financial empire, built on smuggling, embezzlement, and illicit contracting, has turned Iran into a kleptocracy where loyalty to the regime is the only qualification for power. Meanwhile, VAJA ensures that those who dare to challenge the system face imprisonment, torture, or worse.
The exposure of these networks by whistleblowers is an act of defiance that carries severe risks, but it is essential in documenting the regime’s crimes. The Iranian people deserve more than a state run by corrupt military elites masquerading as religious guardians. The regime’s reliance on repression and theft is not a sign of strength but of deep-seated rot, a house that will inevitably collapse under the weight of its own corruption.
