Influence peddlers have permeated the Islamic Parliaments Assembly

Iran Press News: Translation by Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi.

Abed Fattahi, the member of 7th Majlis (Islamic Parliaments Assembly) from Orumiyeh confessed that influence peddlers have permeated the Islamic Parlimanets Assembly; these influence peddlers either take peoples money in order to act as their ‘proxy’ with the members of Parliament or are involved in some other kind of manipulation or coercion. READ MORE

In his interview with the parlimentarian reporter from the regime-run news agency, ILNA, Fattahi condemned this and said: "These types of wheeler-dealers have consumed Iran at the moment and they have even begun to form themselves into a social class which is extremely dangerous. These individucals have managed to implicate themsleves into all social and vocational layers and all professions and organizations, including the Majlis have been permeated by them; one can see them hanging around, outside the Majlis, taking money from people...

He added: "This stems from the lack of consistancy in the job market, the lack of clarity in solutions to bridge the gap between the people and the authorities, failure in governance, profiteering and bribery. Unfortunately in our society the power of the Nota Bene and addenda is more than the actual article of law; the limbs have become more powerful than the trunk and sadly influence peddling has run such deep roots in our society that even I, who am a member of parliament cannot do anything without the protection of these 'operators' who laugh at us MPs, telling us how much easier they can move things along for us. They have become so powerful that they are in fact entirely capable of getting some very important things done and of course, they are the ones who stand to benefit most of all."