Dr. Khodaeiyan, President of the GIO – General Inspection Organization of Iran, emphasized at the opening ceremony of the National Festival on “Promoting Transparency and Eliminating Conflict of Interest Situations” that the fight against corruption is a collective duty, and the most effective way to counter it is through transparency and the elimination of conflicts of interest. He described this two-day educational conference as an opportunity for public culture-building against corruption and noted that enhancing administrative integrity is among the most important means of safeguarding the Islamic Republic and fulfilling the aspirations of the martyrs of the Sacred Defense.

Paying tribute to the Sacred Defense Week, Khodaeiyan identified the unity and cohesion of the Iranian nation as the main factors behind its great victories, and stated that honoring the martyrs’ ideals and protecting the Islamic system today can only be achieved by strengthening administrative health. He likened corruption to termites that silently and gradually destroy infrastructures, stressing that in sound governance, prevention must take precedence; in this regard, “transparency” and “conflict of interest resolution” are two fundamental pillars of corruption prevention.

The President of the GIO noted that the Islamic Republic seeks a society free of corruption and discrimination, while corruption thrives in darkness and under the shadow of conflicting interests. Referring to the statements of Imam Khomeini (RA) and the Supreme Leader on combating corruption, he pointed out that the GIO has compiled the Leader’s extensive directives on this matter. He further highlighted key transparency-related laws, such as the “Freedom of Information Act,” the “Asset Disclosure Act for Public Officials,” and the “Transparency Law of the Three Branches of Government,” stressing that their proper enforcement enhances accountability and public trust, and that any unwarranted classification of documents as “confidential” creates grounds for corruption.

He also referred to the “Law on Transparency and Oversight of Campaign Financing in Parliamentary Elections,” explaining that its correct implementation obliges candidates to declare their financial contributions and identify their supporters, thereby preventing individuals from entering parliament solely on the basis of financial backing. He defined conflict of interest as situations in which a public official’s decisions serve his personal interests or those of close associates, stressing the necessity of identifying and eliminating such cases. He considered the organization of the Transparency Festival (on 9 December, the International Anti-Corruption Day) as a continuation of the 2022 National Transparency Conference, announcing the development of evaluation indicators and the introduction of leading institutions in law implementation.

In conclusion, Khodaeiyan called upon all officials to fully implement the directives of the Supreme Leader and higher-level legal frameworks, emphasizing that the cost of preventing corruption is far less than the cost of combating it after its occurrence.