One week ago, a dissident group known as “Uprising Till Overthrow” infiltrated the servers of the Iranian regime’s parliament, seizing sensitive documents and data. Consequently, the official website, Khaneh-e Mellat (ICANA.ir), which serves as the primary platform for the regime’s parliamentary activities, experienced prolonged inaccessibility due to the breach.
The group clarified that it successfully breached multiple websites associated with the regime’s parliament, including the library and the documentation and research center, thereby gaining access to a trove of information and documents. Subsequently, these materials were disseminated via the group’s social media channels.
Among the most significant revelations were documents containing correspondence and salary records of the 226 lawmakers. This disclosure stirred considerable public outcry, particularly as approximately 90 percent of the country’s population resides in precarious conditions, with many living below the poverty line. The disparity between the MPs’ salaries and the plight of the populace fueled frustration among the public, with dissent even surfacing among certain factions within the regime on social media platforms.
In a frantic and alarmed response, the public relations department of the regime’s parliament hastily stepped forward to refute the purported incomes of the regime’s MPs, asserting that the files were manipulated and fraudulent. The statement issued declared:
“Some of the documents in question have been tampered with and cannot be authenticated. It is likely that the hackers altered genuine documents they accessed through limited means. For instance, in the document labeled ‘Representatives’ Incomes,’ purportedly published in May 2022, there is a column titled ‘Final Total’ displaying figures that are inconsistent with the payment records of the Parliament.”
Meanwhile, on February 14, the Farhikhtegan newspaper verified the revealed details regarding the representatives’ salaries but attempted to mitigate the implication by stating, “This figure pertains to their overall activities and those under their supervision!”
Interestingly, the state-affiliated Rouydad-24 website confirmed the exorbitant salaries of the regime’s MPs. It reported, “One section of the purported documents includes a list of salaries disbursed to 226 representatives in June. Rouydad-24 cross-referenced the IBAN numbers listed in the hackers’ release and confirmed their validity, linking them to the parliamentarians. According to this data, the average salary received by representatives in June exceeded 200 million tomans. Notably, the highest earners, Malik Shariati Niasar and Mehdi Toghiani, members of the Energy and Economy Commissions, received salaries nearing 265 million tomans.”
Another state-backed website, Bahar News, on February 13, confirmed the salary figures, stating, “As per the information extracted from the parliament’s records, MPs received salaries ranging from 170 to 270 million tomans on average in June, supplemented by monthly bonuses ranging between 25 and 30 million tomans.”
Despite the regime’s persistent efforts to refute the legitimacy of the documents and salary disclosures, the hacktivist group “Uprising Till Overthrow” defied these denials and released the comprehensive list of salaries paid to all 226 MPs on February 15. According to this revelation, each parliamentarian received an average salary of 213,765,000 tomans.
In an attempt to downplay the significance of this revelation, the state-affiliated newspaper Farhikhtegan acknowledged the accuracy of the disclosed salaries but sought to mitigate their impact, stating:
“Previously, it had been disclosed that the income of most parliament members hovered around 200 million tomans. However, some representatives contended that this figure encompassed their overall activities and those under their jurisdiction.”
According to official documents, the regime’s security apparatus, including the armed forces headquarters, the Khatam-al Anbiya Construction Headquarters, the Ministry of Defense, the police force, the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), and the IRGC intelligence service, as well as the army, are under the direct attention of the regime’s Supreme Leader, with significant budget allocations.
In 2023, budget allocations for the armed forces were as follows: IRGC received 130 trillion tomans, the army received 68 trillion tomans, the Ministry of Defense received 53 trillion tomans, the police force received 64 trillion tomans, and both the General Staff and Khatam-al Anbiya received 30 trillion tomans each, resulting in a total allocation of 345 trillion tomans for the armed forces.
The budget allocations for various security organizations within the IRGC have witnessed significant increases. Specifically, the Intelligence Protection Organization of the IRGC has seen a rise of 500 billion tomans, while the Intelligence Protection of the Mobilization Forces has experienced an increase of at least 300 billion tomans. Additionally, the support budget has surged by at least one trillion tomans, and the budget allocated for organizational housing for the armed forces has also risen by at least one trillion tomans.
Turning to the plight of the people, the dire realities of poverty, soaring prices, and inflation are palpable experiences for many. This stark truth is not concealed by state media.
According to Setareh-e Sobh, a state-run daily, on February 14, the cost of living in Tehran and major cities stands at 23 million tomans. However, this contrasts starkly with the reality faced by more than 60% of social security retirees, whose monthly income hovers around 9 million tomans. Furthermore, approximately 40% of workers receive a minimum wage of 10 million tomans.
These wages and pensions scarcely cover the expenses of a single week, leaving little room for financial security. Meanwhile, the regime’s MPs have amassed considerable wealth and assets for their descendants. Official statistics reveal that the income from pensions is merely sufficient to sustain an average family for a week. Additionally, the minimum wage for workers barely covers a third of monthly expenses.
According to a report by the state-run news agency ILNA on February 12, over 60% of social security retirees in Iran struggle to make ends meet on salaries ranging below 9 or even 8 million tomans, providing for only a week’s worth of living expenses.
