Whistle-Blower Uncovers Cash Sale Of Seminary Land By Cleric

Renowned whistleblower journalist Yashar Soltani has revealed documents indicating that cleric Kazem Sedighi sold the land belonging to a seminary in person, receiving the payment in cash.

The documents, made public by Soltani, reveal that on December 10, in a notary office in Niavaran, northern Tehran, Sedighi sold a garden owned by a seminary for approximately 65 billion rials in cash (equivalent to over $100,000).

Sedighi, considered close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, faces allegations of involvement in acquiring a 4,200-square-meter garden in northern Tehran through a family company. The property, estimated to be worth around $20 million, was reportedly transferred from the seminary to the family company, which includes Sedighi and his sons among its members. Other individuals close to Sedighi, such as his daughter-in-law and his security chief, also hold positions within the company established in June 2023.

The disclosure of the new documents contradicts Sedighi's earlier denial of involvement, where he claimed ignorance of the company's establishment and accused a former associate of forgery. 

Sedighi's case is not isolated, recent years uncovering allegations of corruption involving other trusted figures, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf and Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda.

Critics demand accountability from the country's supreme leader for those he appoints, emphasizing the need for transparency and integrity within the regime's institutions. Moreover, some within the clergy have expressed concerns over the potential damage to the reputation of clerics as a result of such revelations, already under fire amidst a nationwide uprising sparked in 2022 as Iranians reject the clerical regime.