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Rouhani calls for media to focus on corruption

Despite calling on the press to help fight corruption, the Iranian government still needs a major initiative to eliminate the mismanagement that characterized the Ahmadinejad era.
A picture obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency shows Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaking during an open session in the parliament in Tehran on November 10, 2013. Rouhani said Iran will not abandon its nuclear rights, including uranium enrichment, media reported a day after a fresh round of talks with world powers. AFP PHOTO/ ISNA / BORNA GHASEMI        (Photo credit should read BORNA GHASEMI/AFP/Getty Images)

There is no doubt that corruption and mismanagement have been significant impediments to Iran’s economic development. Experts agree that during former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's two terms in office, these two issues were the main causes of economic decline and increased misery in the country. Though that administration came to power claiming that it would fight corruption and disclose the names of corrupt officials and businessmen, throughout its years, not only there was no disclosure from the government’s side, but the one lower-level official who spoke publicly about corruption inside the regime, Abbas Palizdar, was imprisoned.

There were numerous meetings between the heads of the three branches of government to coordinate efforts to fight corruption. Nonetheless, corrupt practices rose, partly in the name of circumventing sanctions. In the words of one Iranian expert, what used to be under-the-table corruption before Ahmadinejad became overt.

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