Page 12 - IRANRptJun20

smuggling hard currency and of laundering $200mn out of Iran, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said.
Police said they confiscated some 300 kilograms of gold from their house, 24,700 gold coins and 6,700 cars, purchased from Iranian carmaker SAIPA, that were locked up in a parking lot.
The couple has 20 days to appeal the death sentence. They are likely to plead their case.
In a separate hearing, the court sentenced two Zanjan MPs, Fereydoun Ahmadi and Mohammad Azizi, to five years in prison on charges of “disrupting the country’s car market”. Mehdi Jamali, the former CEO of SAIPA was, meanwhile, given a seven-year sentence of imprisonment.
The judiciary, with Ebrahim Raisi, tipped to be the next Supreme Leader, at the helm, has set out to make an example of several top officials abusing their authority.
In May 2019, Iranian football​ o​ ligarch Hossein Hedayati​, ​known as “ATM” because of his wealth, was sentenced to 20 years in jail and 70 lashes, according to the Tabnak website.
It was Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who in August 2018 created the special courts to deal with the “swift and just” legal pursuit of those exploiting the “economic war” waged by foreign enemies. Officials clearly aim to quell public anger at corruption by publicising headline-grabbing convictions. The heavy sanctions imposed on Iran by the US have caused market turbulence and distortions that have thrown up big opportunities for profiteers.
2.9 ​Polls & Sociology
Survey of Russians suggests Iran seen in positive way by majority
Iran drops six places to 170 on latest World Press Freedom Index
A survey conducted by Russia’s Drom.RU found that 54% of respondents were in favour of friendly relations with Iran.
A first “Week of Russian Culture” was lately hosted in the Iranian capital with groups of artisans and musicians showing their talents. The event was officially supported by the Iranian Cultural ministry and the Russian Embassy in Tehran. Some 54% (162 people) of those surveyed said “We treat Iran well, they’re our friends”, while 17% (51 people) answered “I am against friendship with rogue countries.” A total of 28% (84 people) voted “Difficult to answer”.
In the early days after the Iranian revolution of 1979, chants against the USSR were as familiar as chants against the U.S. Nowadays, a warming of attitudes is in evidence.
A similar survey has not, however, been conducted in Iran to discern attitudes about Russians.
On October 21, Iran entered into a 2-year preferential trade agreement (PTA) with the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). It reduces tariffs on more than 500 items.
Iran has placed 170th out of 180 countries in the​ ​World Press Freedom Index 2019​ ​compiled by Reporters Without Borders, six places down on where it finished in the previous year’s ranking.
The decline has coincided with the sanctions-led economic attack which the US launched last year to strangle Iran's economy to force concessions on its Middle East policies. Analysts say this has given hardliners in Iran the upper
12​ IRAN Country Report June 2020 www.intellinews.com