Iranian graft suspect’s airline company confiscated

TEHRAN – Anadolu Agency

The airline company of Babak Zanjani, an Iranian businessman who is accused of being involved with corruption with former Iranian government officials, has been confiscated by the government, an Iranian official has said.

Zanjani’s airline company Qeshm Air has been transferred to the Oil Ministry to collect part of the businessman’s debt to state, Ali Akbar Shabanifar, head of the free trade zone in Qeshm Island, said on Jan. 24.

Speaking at a news conference, Shabanifar also said Zanjani had invested $42 billion in his five-star hotel on Qeshm Island and that th government is also demanding the debt stemmed from land allocation for the hotel to be repaid.

The hotel will be transferred to the free zone in return for the debt, he said.

Zanjani, who has been in jail over corruption charges, is believed to have strong trade relations with Reza Zarrab, the controversial businessman involved in the bribery claims in Turkey’s now suppressed graft probe.