Head of the Judiciary: We must not inadvertently play into the enemy’s hands

According to the Judiciary’s Media Center, Mohseni Eje’i, speaking today, Monday, at a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, while explaining and elaborating on various aspects of the fight against corruption, stated: Public demands for combating corruption are rightful and justified demands. In conditions of high prices and inflation, if an individual or individuals seek to exploit the situation to impose additional pressure on the people and commit corruption, they must certainly be confronted decisively and diligently through legal means. However, this decisive and diligent confrontation must also be carried out knowledgeably, with all aspects and considerations duly observed.

The Head of the Judiciary stressed: Our goal is to eradicate corruption. Corruption is not eradicated merely through arrests, detentions, imprisonment, and punishment; past experience has proven this as well. The roots, bottlenecks, and enabling grounds of corruption must be identified and eliminated. In some cases, procedures and structures must be reformed; conflicts of interest must be resolved; public awareness must be expanded and promoted; greater deterrence must be applied; laws that are passed with the aim of eliminating corruption and increasing transparency must be fully and completely implemented; supervisory bodies, cultural and media sectors, private-sector actors, and those influential in creating transparency-enhancing and corruption-reducing structures must achieve greater convergence and synergy. Alongside all of this, offenders must, without doubt and in accordance with the law, be tried and punished. It is through the series of these measures and arrangements that corruption can be eradicated.

He added: The Judiciary, as in the past—and even more than before—has placed a knowledgeable and diligent fight against corruption at the top of its priorities. It will stand firmly against any corruption and any corrupt individual whose corruption is proven and established in accordance with laws, standards, and regulations, without the slightest leniency, hesitation, or consideration. However, I once again emphasize that this alone will not lead us to the desired outcome of eradicating corruption; other requirements and prerequisites are also necessary. All branches of government, institutions, the public, the private sector, and others must join hands so that the ultimate goal—namely, the eradication of corruption—can be achieved.

Continuing the meeting, the Head of the Judiciary referred to the issue of currency fluctuations, which had also been emphasized in the previous session, saying: Last week, in an address to the Head of the State Inspectorate Organization, we stressed entering into the issue of foreign currency, currency-related matters, and fluctuations in this market. Our emphasis is on a comprehensive review of this case. The shortcomings in this matter must be identified and clarified. Is it negligence or misconduct? Are currency problems the result of structures and management methods, or of enemy pressure? Without delay, the State Inspectorate Organization convened a meeting attended by representatives of all supervisory bodies, the Central Bank, some influential figures from the Parliament, and a number of experts and specialists. It has been decided that this meeting be held again so that comprehensive reviews of the issue can be completed. Our firm emphasis is that this matter must by no means be abandoned or left incomplete. Our main objective here is to solve the problem, not merely to hold meetings. The causes and factors behind the emergence of currency-related issues must be clearly identified. It is necessary to specify the actions that the three branches of government, the Central Bank, the private sector, and the public must take in this field. Thorough and comprehensive expert work must be carried out in this area.

In another part of his remarks at today’s meeting, Mohseni Eje’i referred to the efforts of enemies to create division and discord within the Islamic Ummah and Iranian Islamic society, stating: We must be extremely vigilant. What the enemy failed to achieve during the 12-day imposed war, it now seeks to accomplish through fabricated narratives and sedition. The enemy wants to undermine our unity and cohesion and to preoccupy us with secondary, marginal, and third-tier issues. We must not inadvertently play into the enemy’s hands. Sometimes the enemy raises an issue simply to entangle our minds. We must be aware of timing and recognize the enemy. Wherever our unity, cohesion, and solidarity have been stronger, the enemy’s plots have been neutralized and affairs have progressed better and more satisfactorily. We must focus solely on solving the people’s problems, not on engaging with distractions behind which the enemy stands.