Supervisory agency chief: There is ‘No doubt’ Iranian president, top aide knew of fraud

Azerbaijan, Baku, March 27/ Trend D. Khatinoglu/

The day before the fourth court session involving a $3 billion embezzlement case, the head of Iran's General Inspection Office (GIO) said there "is no doubt" that Iran's President and his chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, had supported those accused in the case, the Khabaronline website reported.

Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi , the GIO's chief, accused President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's administration of "strongly resisting" putting the "biggest embezzlement case in the history of Iran" into the public domain. The GIO is charged by Iran's constitution to supervise government-funded bodies.

The $3 billion banking case involves the Amir Mansour Arya Group, accused of using its influence and government officials' cooperation to obtain fake letters of credit and huge bank loans. Mah Afarid Amir Khosravi is the lead defendant in the case, but denies the charges against him.

This is not the first time Mr. Pour-Mohammadi has accused Mr. Ahmadinejad of being indirectly responsible for the $3 billion fraud.

The administration contended "the economic system will be disrupted, the country's banking and monetary system will be damaged," as it resisted publicising the case, said Mr. Pour-Mohammadi.

Although Mr Ahmadinejad, Mr Mashaei, ministers and banks undoubtedly supported the group, said the GIO head, the government wasn't involved in the intricacies of the fraud.

Government officials haven't reacted to the GIO chief's accusations, but Mr Ahmadinejad has previously denied any responsibility in the fraud case.