Iran’s President Hasan Rohani has warned against the monopolization of power and the spread of corruption in Iran -- saying that corruption is brought about when guns, money, and media are concentrated in one institution.
Rohani's comments on December 8 appear to be a veiled reference to Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards Force (IRGC) -- which, apart from its military activities, also is engaged in economic, political, and media activities.
Speaking at an anti-corruption conference in Tehran, Rohani said: "Monopoly is the cause of corruption and we must fight against monopolies. Anything which does not have rivalry or whose management is monopolized is flawed."
Rohani also said that money once "given under the table now is being given on the table."
Transparency International's 2014 corruption index of 175 countries ranks Iran among the worst 40 countries in terms of percieved public sector corruption.
