by Pishtaz | 2026-01-22

As protests persist across Iran, reports from analysts and watchdog groups suggest senior figures are moving significant assets overseas amid mounting domestic unrest.

The allegations emerge as security forces continue a harsh crackdown, including arrests and reported abuses, against demonstrators demanding political and economic change.

Leaders accused of shielding wealth as unrest grows

Financial experts and sanctions researchers say some members of the regime's ruling elite have used complex networks to move money abroad.

Analysts note these networks may be increasingly active amid protests and economic pressures from sanctions and domestic instability.

While precise figures are difficult to verify, multiple investigations have documented overseas property purchases and foreign accounts linked to politically connected individuals.

Critics argue the pattern reflects leaders prioritizing personal financial security while ordinary people face inflation, unemployment and declining living standards.

The government denies wrongdoing, but transparency advocates note the regime provides limited public disclosure of senior officials' assets.

This secrecy, they say, fuels public anger by reinforcing perceptions that leaders are insulated from the hardships confronting most citizens.

IRGC role and allegations of systemic repression

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a powerful military and economic force, is widely accused of enabling both repression and financial maneuvering.

Western governments and human rights groups say the IRGC controls vast commercial interests, giving it access to foreign currency channels.

Those same organizations accuse IRGC-linked forces of leading violent responses to protests, including the use of lethal force and mass detentions.

The Islamic Republic regime maintain their security actions are necessary to preserve order, rejecting allegations of widespread abuse.

However, rights groups continue to document deaths in custody, reports of torture and harsh sentences against protesters and activists.

Analysts say the contrast between alleged wealth transfers and on-the-ground repression deepens mistrust between the state and society.

They argue it signals a leadership more focused on regime survival than addressing demands for accountability, jobs and political freedoms.

For many protesters, the accusations symbolize a broader system they view as corrupt and unresponsive.

As unrest continues, observers warn that unresolved grievances and perceived elite self-preservation risk further destabilizing the country.