Corruption and anti-corruption strategies in Iran. An overview of the preventive, detective and punitive measures
| Pages | 77-89 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JMLC-01-2019-0001 |
| Date | 20 January 2020 |
| Published date | 20 January 2020 |
| Author | Habeeb Abdulrauf Salihu,Amin Jafari |
| Subject Matter | Financial compliance/regulation,Financial risk/company failure |
Corruption and anti-corruption
strategies in Iran
An overview of the preventive, detective and
punitive measures
Habeeb Abdulrauf Salihu
Department of Criminology and Security Studies, University of Ilorin,
Ilorin, Nigeria, and
Amin Jafari
Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law and
Political Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to examine the various anti-corruption strategies used to fight
economicand financial crimes in both the public and private sectors in Iran.
Design/methodology/approach –This paper relied essentially on a secondary source of information.
Materials used were collected in an eclectic manner from published outlets such as journal publications,
books, online sources and newspaper reports. Also, official documents and statutes were also used. This
study’s scopeis limited to issues and analysis relating to measuresadopted to combat corruption in Iran.
Findings –The legaland institutional frameworks analysed indicatedthat Iran has a robust anti-corruption
scheme. However,there is no adequate measure available to gaugethe effectiveness of these measures.
Practical implications –The paper concludesthat conventional anti-corruption methodsare not enough
to fight corruption in this present time, thus, the implementation of whistle-blower policy and allowing
freedom of operation of the civilsociety organisations and media would assist in the fight against corruption
in Iran.
Originality/value –The paper provides the legal and institutionalanti-corruption frameworks in Iran. It
exploresthe three major approaches or methods of combating corruptionand other corrupt practices in Iran.
Keywords Transparency, Corruption in Iran, Iran’s anti-corruption measures,
Iran’s anti-money laundering laws, Iran’s Financial Intelligent Unit
Paper type General review
Introduction
Corruption is pervasive and widespread in Iranian society. It has infiltrated all facets of
life, and every division of the society is involved –from the political elites, corporate
bodies and intellectuals to the non-governmental organisations and the ordinary people
on the street (GAN Integrity, 2017). Over the past few decades, corruption in Iran (most
especially among political and public office holders) has attained the level of gross and
unconceivable illicit enrichment, which cannot be justified in any way (Madani et al.,
2015).
The Transparency International Corruption Perception Indexranked Iran 130 out of 180
countries surveyed in 2017, 131 out of 176 countries considered in 2016, 130 out of 167
countries in 2015, 136 out175 countries in 2014, 144 out of 177 countries in 2013 and 133 out
of 174 countries in 2012 (Transparency International, 2018,2016,2015,2014,2013a,2013b,
Preventive,
detective and
punitive
measures
77
Journalof Money Laundering
Control
Vol.23 No. 1, 2020
pp. 77-89
© Emerald Publishing Limited
1368-5201
DOI 10.1108/JMLC-01-2019-0001
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