A former Iranian MP and several interior ministry officials have been arrested and are being kept in solitary confinement for involvement in corruption, an official source said Friday.
"An MP from (northwestern) Orumiyeh in the fifth Parliament, several officials of the intelligence ministry and some other unknown businessmen were arrested one-and-a-half months ago," the source, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, told the official Iranian news agency, IRNA.
"It was rumored that they were accused of drug-trafficking, but now it has been revealed that they have been involved in major economic corruption," he said.
"Keeping them in solitary confinement is indicative of the major [nature of the] corruption," he added.
The source did not mention any name, nor did he give further details.
According to the agency, the arrest came amid calls by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to mobilize forces to eradicate corruption while trying to lower the unemployment rate, which currently stands at 16 percent.
In May, Ayatollah Khamenei said, "Today, the country needs sound economic activities, notably for the demand of employment. That is why we must cut off the hands of those who enrich themselves with public money at the expense of the people."
Iran is plagued by high unemployment of 16 percent of the working population of 20 million people.
In April, Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi announced that his government branch would wage a campaign against corruption – Albawaba.com
