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The Iranian regime, long shrouded in secrecy and authoritarian control, is no stranger to internal power struggles. However, recent revelations by Abdolnaser Hemmati, the former economy minister, have peeled back the curtain on the systemic corruption and factional infighting that define the regime’s inner workings. Hemmati’s explosive interview on June 5, 2025, with state television exposed how members of Iran’s parliament aggressively lobbied for control over key economic appointments, demanding bank CEOs and board members be appointed to serve their personal interests.
His refusal to name specific culprits, citing “regime interests,” only underscores the delicate balancing act within Tehran’s elite, where loyalty to the system often trumps accountability.
Hemmati’s candid admissions paint a grim picture of a regime rotten with corruption. “They all wanted something,” he said, describing how parliamentarians pressured him to appoint their allies to lucrative positions in banks and free economic zones. When he resisted or replaced managers, he faced backlash from the same lawmakers now accusing him of slander. His reluctance to “speak against the Central Bank” or name individuals in parliament reflects the unspoken code of silence that protects the regime’s insiders, even as they vie for power and wealth behind closed doors.
#Iranian Regime Infighting Deepens After Removal of Zarif and Hemmatihttps://t.co/h1ukZ1hRx9
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) March 6, 2025
The reaction from parliament was swift and defensive. Abbas Goudarzi, a prominent member, dismissed Hemati’s claims as an attack on the legislature’s “supervisory role,” accusing him of manipulating public opinion. On June 8, Goudarzi demanded that Hemati either provide names or issue a public apology, framing his allegations as an affront to the parliament’s “sanctity.” Other lawmakers, like Farhad Bishiri and Salman Eshaqi, echoed this sentiment, with Eshaqi going further, branding Hemati a delusional and incompetent figure responsible for Iran’s economic woes. Their outrage, however, does little to refute the substance of Hemati’s claims, instead highlighting the regime’s intolerance for dissent, even from its own ranks.
This scandal comes at a time of transition for Iran’s economic leadership. Three months after Hemati’s impeachment, President Masoud Pezeshkian nominated Ali Madanizadeh as the new economy minister, a move announced by the state-run ISNA news agency. Yet, the appointment has done little to quell the unrest. The parliament, still reeling from Hemati’s accusations, remains a battleground for competing factions, each seeking to secure influence over the regime’s economic levers. The timing of Hemati’s revelations, just as a new minister is introduced, suggests a calculated effort to expose the rot within the system, even if he stops short of naming names.
Leaked Documents Expose #Iranian MPs’ Lucrative Salaries Amidst #Economic Hardshiphttps://t.co/5g9znjbBTk
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 16, 2024
The broader implications of this dispute are stark. Iran’s economy, already battered by sanctions, mismanagement, and inflation, is further undermined by the very officials tasked with its stewardship. The parliament’s demands for control over bank appointments and free zones reveal a system where personal enrichment and political loyalty take precedence over governance. Hemati’s decision to speak out, however cautiously, signals growing frustration among even high-ranking officials, who see the regime’s internal contradictions as unsustainable.
As the war of words continues, the Iranian regime’s façade of unity crumbles. Hemati’s revelations, coupled with the parliament’s indignant response, expose a ruling elite consumed by greed and infighting. For ordinary Iranians, who bear the brunt of economic hardship, these disputes offer little hope of reform. Instead, they confirm what many have long suspected: the regime’s officials are more concerned with plundering the nation’s wealth than addressing its crises. With no resolution in sight, the power struggles within Tehran’s corridors of power are set to intensify, further destabilizing an already fragile system.
The Hemati affair is more than a personal vendetta; it is a window into the dysfunction at the heart of Iran’s regime. As factions clash over power and privilege, the structural corruption Hemati described remains unchecked, hidden behind the rhetoric of “regime interests.” For now, the parliament’s calls for apologies and investigations may drown out the truth, but the cracks in the system are impossible to ignore. Iran’s rulers, entangled in their own disputes, risk undermining the very regime they claim to preserve.