U.S. government seen as most corrupt in seven years

The U.S. plunged in an annual global corruption index as a surge in support for populist leaders and the erosion of democracy hobbled efforts to tackle graft around the world.

MP urges protection of journalists revealing corruption scandals

TEHRAN – Mahmoud Sadeqi, a reformist parliamentarian from Tehran, has called for measures to protect civic organizations and also journalists who disclose corruption scandals.

Iran, IACA agree to shore up educational cooperation

TEHRAN – Iran’s General Inspection Office and the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) have agreed to enhance cooperation in educational field.

$3.5 billion drug money lost track of: judiciary

TEHRAN – The Tehran prosecutor said on Tuesday that $3.5 billion government-rate currency allocated to the import of drugs has been lost track of.

Cyberspace effective in fighting corruption: Rouhani

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that cyberspace is effective in boosting transparency and fighting corruption.

Iran says corruption will sink Israel

TEHRAN - Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, predicted on Sunday that widespread corruption will annihilate the Zionist regime of Israel.

Baqeri-Darmani, corrupt tycoon, executed

TEHRAN – As part of efforts to root out corruption, Hamidreza Baqeri-Darmani was executed early on Saturday on charges of “corruption on the earth”, ISNA reported.

‘Sultan of Coins’ to be executed in weeks

TEHRAN – The legal process for executing notorious gold coin dealer, known as “Sultan of Coins”, is complete, a judicial authority has said.

Two corruption-related death penalty cases handed to Supreme Court

TEHRAN – Tehran Province’s chief justice says the cases of two individuals, who were sentenced to death for financial corruption, have been handed to the Supreme Court.

Lawmaker: Key corrupt individuals to be hanged soon

TEHRAN – Head of the special Majlis committee to fighting economic corruption announced on Monday that key individuals involved in financial corruption will soon be hanged in Azadi Square, ISNA reported.

Judiciary urges people to report on corrupt individuals

TEHRAN – Judiciary spokesman Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i on Monday called on the nation to report on corrupt individuals, citing people’s key role in reporting on terrorists in the first decade after the Islamic Revolution.

Minister warns of the ‘seven-headed dragon’ of corruption

TEHRAN – Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi has warned of the dangers of the “seven-headed drag of corruption”, saying E-government is the most important tool to fight corruption.

Economic suspects stand trial

TEHRAN – Three individuals on Sunday stood trial on charges of disrupting Iran’s economy. These three had received government-subsidized foreign currency for importing goods, but sold the goods at unjustifiably high prices.

Court to begin corruption probe Sunday

TEHRAN – The Revolutionary Court will begin investigating cases of disruptors of Iran’s monetary and foreign exchange markets on Sunday, August 26, ISNA reported.

Judiciary: 120 individuals in custody for corruption

TEHRAN – Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani said on Monday that 120 individuals are in custody as the Judiciary ramps up efforts to fight corruption, ISNA reported.

Anti-corruption trials to be broadcast on TV: prosecutor

TEHRAN – Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, Iran’s prosecutor general, said on Thursday that trials of the financially corrupt individuals will be broadcast on TV.

Corruption crackdown: 67 arrested, over 100 barred from leaving Iran

TEHRAN – Judiciary spokesman Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i said on Sunday that 67 people have been arrested in recent weeks as part of a corruption crackdown.

Judiciary: 45 arrested in corruption probe

TEHRAN – Judiciary spokesman Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i said on Monday that so far 45 people have been arrested as part of a probe into the high volatility in the foreign currency market.

Majlis committee takes final step to form new body to fight corruption

TEHRAN – The plan to establish an organization to fight corruption was finalized during a session of the Majlis Legal and Judicial Committee attended by Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, an MP said on Monday.

Cleric: Corruption is leprosy to every system

TEHRAN – Tehran Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami called on the authorities to intensify fight against corruption, saying corrupt individuals, whoever they are, “must be dealt with decisively”.

New body to fight corruption to be formed: MP

TEHRAN – Hassan Norouzi, a spokesman with the Majlis Legal and Judicial Committee, said on Monday that a new organization with the aim of fighting economic corruption is set to be formed.

No corruption among female managers: CIT minister

TEHRAN – Employing women in the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has not been an exhibitionist action and no corruption has been reported among female managers, said the CIT minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi.

Hashemi Taba says corruption should be open for debate 

TEHRAN – Ex-presidential candidate Mostafa Hashemi Taba has said the issue of corruption has to be openly discussed in order to tackle it.

By Frida Ghitis

Women leaders get boot for corruption while men skate

If you want to fight corruption, elect a woman to office. Then everyone will decide that corruption is utterly intolerable and fight it until the bitter end. Curiously, when men are in power, people find corruption much easier to tolerate.

A shout-out for honesty in Europe

Hundreds of thousands of Romanians protested over a government move to quell investigations of corruption. Having made so much progress against graft, they took a stand for clean governance.

Jahangiri urges government branches to fight corruption

TEHRAN – Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri on Monday urged the three branches of government to put sincere efforts into fighting corruption, ISNA reported.

Oil Ministry says ready to work with Judiciary on Babak Zanjani case

TEHRAN – Iran’s Ministry of Petroleum announced on Friday it is ready to cooperate with the Judiciary to return the $3.8 billion that Babak Zanjani owes to the national treasury.

By Samad Habibi

Corruption, cronyism and flawed supervision: banes of banking system 

TEHRAN - Tehran Prosecutor General has said strict supervision over banking activities would prevent unnoticed corruptions and shed some light to darker corners of the banking interactions.