A prominent Iranian businessman, known as the “Sultan of Bitumen”, has been executed for bribery and corruption.<\/p>\n
Hamidreza Baqeri Darmani was found guilty of forging documents to secure state-backed loans.<\/p>\n
He then used front companies to procure more than 300,000 tonnes of bitumen – a substance used in making asphalt – one of Iran’s most profitable industries.<\/p>\n
Darmani, 49, is the third businessman to be executed since an anti-corruption drive was launched earlier this year.<\/p>\n
Last month,\u00a0Iran executed a currency trader known as the “Sultan of Coins”<\/a>for amassing some two tonnes of gold currency.<\/p>\n According to the judiciary’s Mizan news agency, Darmani procured bitumen worth more than $100m (\u00a379m) through “fraud, forgery and bribery”. He was arrested in August 2014.<\/p>\n News of Darmani’s execution was given dramatic coverage on Iranian state television with an action-movie-style soundtrack.<\/p>\n Correspondents say authorities are keen to show how serious they are about punishing those accused of exploiting the country’s volatile economy.<\/p>\n In August, new “revolutionary” courts were set up to fast-track corruption cases and dozens of businessmen and traders have been jailed.<\/p>\n It comes amid widespread public anger over a rising cost of living and perceived corruption.<\/p>\n Iran’s economy is struggling, partly due to a US decision to re-impose tough sanctions on the country.<\/p>\n Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"