A state-run Iranian regime website, Rouydad-24, has exposed a staggering corruption case involving Javad Sadati Nejad, the former Minister of Agriculture Jihad. The allegations detail Nejad’s involvement in a 1.1 trillion tomans (approximately $18 million) scheme during his 20 months in office.
Previously, Nejad’s name surfaced in the Chai Debsh tea import scandal, which involved $3.4 billion in corrupt practices. Many speculated this connection led to his dismissal. However, the recent revelations point to his additional role in the livestock input import corruption case.
According to the report, Nejad not only recommended an unprecedented contract for importing essential goods with an unfamiliar company, Areo Tejarat Sohail, but also ordered the sale of unpurchased goods to the public.
Rouydad-24 states that the country’s General Inspection Organization first investigated the case. Their findings revealed that the Rural Cooperative Organization, under the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad, had signed a contract with Areo Tejarat Sohail. This contract granted the company a license to import 18.3 tons of basic agricultural goods, including livestock inputs.
However, despite the Rural Cooperative Organization’s capabilities for importing such goods, Areo Tejarat Sohail only managed to import a mere 24,000 tons (approximately 5% of its commitment). In exchange for this significant shortfall, the company handed over 49% of its shares to the government.
The investigation further revealed that Areo Tejarat Sohail had no prior experience in importing livestock inputs before the contract. Rouydad-24 identified the company’s owners as Vahid Ahmadi and Pegah Valiollahi, who purchased the company in 2018.
In a further breach of trust, despite being aware of the shortage of livestock inputs, the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad in April 2022 proceeded to fabricate import records. This involved registering fake orders, loading non-existent goods into virtual “containers,” and manipulating the official system to create a market illusion. This fictitious process generated 1.171 trillion tomans (approximately $27.5 million) from the public without delivering any actual goods.
The report further alleges that Vahid Ahmadi previously received a “Highly confidential” letter of introduction signed by Nejad, granting them access to preferential currency rates from the Central Bank.
Beyond Nejad, the report mentions other individuals potentially involved in the scandal, including:
- Mohsen Kazemeini:Â A commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and former deputy minister of Agriculture Jihad in the food security headquarters. Kazemeini’s name also appeared in the Chai Debsh case.
- Hossein Damavandi Nejad:Â Former deputy minister for livestock production.
- Esmail Qadrifar:Â Former CEO of the Central Organization of Rural Cooperation.
The report concludes by drawing parallels to a recent infographic published by Etemad Online, another state-run website. This infographic listed 14 major corruption cases from 1992 to 2023, with the Chai Debsh scandal topping the list.
Heshmatollah Falahatpishe, a former regime MP, claimed on December 16, 2023, that the total amount of embezzlement in major corruption cases within the country had reached $57 billion.
