{"id":16146,"date":"2025-11-23T07:51:38","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T07:51:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/roydadnaft.ir\/English\/?p=16146"},"modified":"2025-11-23T07:51:38","modified_gmt":"2025-11-23T07:51:38","slug":"iran-probing-100-million-payment-in-fuel-smuggling-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roydadnaft.ir\/English\/16146\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran probing $100 million payment in fuel smuggling case"},"content":{"rendered":"

RoydadNaft – <\/a><\/span>\u00a0The Iranian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance (MEAF) unit says it is investigating a controversial instant payment made by a convicted fuel smuggler to secure his release from custody.<\/p>\n

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Head of MEAF\u2019s financial intelligence unit said on Saturday that the investigation is already underway, following disclosures made earlier this week by the Iranian Economic Security Police (IESP).<\/p>\n

Hadi Khani said the MEAF has requested all relevant information from the IESP about the case.<\/p>\n

It came after IESP chief commander Brigadier Hassan Rahimi said a convicted fuel smuggler, arrested after a year-long intelligence and enforcement operation, secured his release by transferring 110 trillion rials to judiciary accounts to pay a court-imposed fine.<\/p>\n

Rahimi said the transfer was completed in less than two hours, after the convict had been asked to provide properties or assets as collateral.<\/p>\n

Iranian police chief Brigadier Ahmad Reza Radan also highlighted the case during a conference held on November 18 focused on national efforts to combat fuel smuggling.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe judiciary recently imposed a fine of 11 trillion rials on a smuggling ring, and interestingly, the entire amount was paid within two hours. This shows the enormous and illegitimate profits these individuals have accumulated over the years,\u201d Radan said.<\/p>\n

Iran faces an acute fuel smuggling problem, which experts attribute to the country\u2019s ultra-low gasoline and diesel prices.<\/p>\n

Estimates indicate that more than 30 million liters of fuel are smuggled out of Iran each day.<\/p>\n

MEAF\u2019s financial intelligence unit is the top Iranian government body responsible for investigating money laundering and terrorism financing.<\/p>\n

The unit has expanded its operations in recent years amid Iran\u2019s efforts to align with the global anti-money laundering watchdog FATF.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Updated on