Iran's ex-military chief accused of squatting in former shah mansion
The former chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces has been accused of living rent-free for 25 years in a mansion belonging to the shah’s regime.
The former chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, Hassan Firouzabadi, is squatting in a mansion that belonged to the former Shah of Iran, according to a letter published by a conservative university group.
The Movement for Justice Seeking Students published the letter, addressed to Tehran’s attorney general, June 17. The letter claims that Firouzabadi has been living rent-free for the last 25 years in a 107,000-square-foot estate in Lavasan, a wealthy suburb outside of Tehran often referred to as the Beverly Hills of Iran.
According to the letter, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has asked Firouzabadi on two occasions to vacate the premises, but the police forces have not carried out these orders.
Allegations that a former official is involved in some form of real estate corruption are not particularly new in Iran. The ownership of the building, however, has raised eyebrows. According to the letter, the mansion belongs to the Executive Headquarters of Imam’s Directive, an institution that is often called “Setad” in Persian, which operates directly under Khamenei.
