Introduction — Abuse Protected by Power   This investigation examines sexual abuse allegations linked to Hamidreza Saqafi and the political system that ensured his protection inside the Islamic Republic. Sexual abuse in authoritarian systems is rarely about individual pathology. It is about power—how it is accumulated, shielded, and weaponised. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, […]

Introduction — When “Humanitarian” Becomes a Cover for Grand Corruption   In Iran’s oil and gas sector, corruption rarely announces itself openly. It hides behind contracts, technical language, emergency justifications, and—most effectively—claims of necessity. The case revealed in recent disclosures surrounding the Bilal Gas Field drilling project is a textbook example of how large-scale financial

Introduction — Who Is Hamidreza Saqafi, and Why His Name Matters   In the opaque ecosystem of Iran’s energy sector, certain names surface repeatedly—not because of innovation or public service, but because they sit at the intersection of power, money, and impunity. Hamidreza Saqafi is one of those names. To outside observers, he may appear

Introduction — The Humanitarian Loophole: An Unintended Escape Hatch   Iran’s humanitarian exemption sanctions abuse has become one of the most under-scrutinised vulnerabilities in the global sanctions architecture. For decades, international sanctions regimes have carved out humanitarian exemptions—allowing the export of food, medicine, and medical equipment—to protect civilian populations from collective punishment. In theory, these

Introduction   For more than a decade, the Islamic Republic of Iran has systematically undermined the global financial sanctions regime by constructing a parallel, opaque financial ecosystem designed to operate beyond the reach of Western regulators. As access to the SWIFT messaging system and dollar-denominated clearing has narrowed, Tehran has not retreated from international finance—it

Introduction   For more than four decades, the Islamic Republic of Iran has operated under one of the most comprehensive and enduring sanctions regimes ever imposed on a modern state. Designed to constrain Tehran’s access to global markets, isolate its financial system, and deprive the regime of revenue for destabilising regional activities, Iran sanctions evasion

Introduction   For more than four decades, the Islamic Republic of Iran has operated under some of the world’s most expansive and sophisticated export-control and technology-transfer restrictions. Yet despite an international consensus aimed at constraining Tehran’s access to sensitive technology, the regime has repeatedly demonstrated a remarkable—often alarming—capacity to exploit global loopholes, corrupt intermediaries, and

Introduction — The Digital Escape: Iran’s Crypto Revolution Iran’s financial isolation is no secret. Decades of sanctions, exclusion from the global banking system, and diplomatic pressure have forced the country to innovate—or collapse. But while sanctions aimed to choke Tehran’s economy, Iran discovered a loophole hidden in plain sight: cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance (DeFi). What

INTRODUCTION Illicit Finance in Regional Proxy Group Funding   For more than four decades, Iran has built one of the most sophisticated proxy-financing architectures in the world—an ecosystem of shadow networks designed to survive sanctions, evade international scrutiny, and maintain influence across the Middle East. From Beirut to Sanaa, and from Damascus to Baghdad, Iran’s

INTRODUCTION   The intersection of Iran sanctions tax havens is no longer a hidden financial subplot—it is one of the central engines powering the Islamic Republic’s global illicit financial system. As international sanctions have tightened, Iranian state-linked actors, business proxies, and intelligence-affiliated networks have transformed offshore jurisdictions into escape valves for capital flight, covert asset