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The unknowns about systematic car smuggling in Iran

The unknowns about systematic car smuggling in Iran
ARTICLES
6/16/2018


The number of illegally imported vehicles into Iran stands at over 15,000 units
Analysis by PMOI/MEK
Iran, June 16, 2018 - In May the deputy of Iran’s Car Importers Association said the number of illegally imported vehicles into Iran stands at over 15,000 units. This is according to the state-run ISNA news agency.
On the other hand, head of Iran’s Trade Development Organization had previously said in 2017 alone 6,400 vehicles were imported after all registration periods were officially ended.
Iran’s own Sharq daily posted a piece on the disturbing issue of illegal vehicles smuggled into the country.
Citing the chairman of the Iranian regime’s parliamentary Industry Commission, the piece specifically targets the cabinet of President Hassan Rouhani for illegally importing 6,000 vehicles.
This article first acknowledges the fact that these vehicles were imported illegally and accuses the Rouhani cabinet of taking advantage of government assets to have vehicles smuggled into the country.
The Iran daily, known to be associated to Rouhani’s faction, sheds more light into this lesser-known aspect of corruption in the mullahs’ regime.

“When the vehicle register platform was closed down, a number of vehicle importers placed suggestions to receive $1,190 to $4,760 (to illegally register customs requests),” the piece reads in part.According to Mehdi Dadfar, head of the Car Importers Association, around 19,000 vehicles were imported illegally in the span of six months. $45 million is the profit made out of these illegal imports, according to the Iranian regime’s official IRIB news network.

The Tabnak website, associated to former Revolutionary Guards chief Mohsen Rezaie, also listed the number of smuggled vehicles into Iran at 19,000.

This state-run website specifically mentions the import of 13 luxury cars into the country through official routes. This report made headlines at the time and references were also made to the high number of vehicles illegally imported into the country.

Naturally, the importers and users of these luxury import cars are none other than those who have a “strong team and manage the country’s import mafia,” according to Amir Khojasteh, a member of the Iranian regime’s so-called parliament.

“This mafia acts in such an organized manner and according to a schedule that anyone newly entering this field of work will face major difficulties,” he added, according to the ISNA news agency.

Massoud Neeli, an economic advisor to Rouhani, acknowledges the fact that corruption and smuggling goods is now embedded into the Iranian regime.

“We have reached a point that in comparison to global standards, Iran’s economy is facing a very unique phenomenon of smuggling goods,” he said according to the ISNA news agency.

This piece has only provided a short insight into the issue of smuggling vehicles into Iran. The evaluation of any other import will provide skyrocketing figures.

Corruption is currently engulfing the entire Iranian regime.

This regime is known to cause chaos in any subject it is involved in, including war and violence in the region, and domestic crackdown inside the country.

How are European states willing to appease such a corrupt and devious entity? What law of democracy and human rights – that Europe claims to stand for – does this policy of appeasement claim to abide by?

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