In a case referred to as the extortion network within the Ministry of Defense, the name of Sardar Rahim Yaghoubi, head of Information Protection at the Ministry of Defense, is at the center of a managerial network; a network that connects on one side to Seyed Majid Ibn al-Reza, the current acting head of the Ministry of Defense, and on the other side to Saeed Sadeghi, CEO of the Armed Forces Social Security Organization, SATA.
What highlights Yaghoubi's position in this narrative is the nature of his role. Information Protection can report on the qualifications and status of managers, investigate suspicious cases, and influence sensitive decisions. According to the information presented in this case, this capacity has sometimes been used as a tool to influence the appointment of managers in the energy sector companies.
The alleged pattern is simple: the individual in question is proposed for a managerial position, and then factors related to the protective structure facilitate his establishment or the removal of an opposing manager.
From Managerial Appointments to Contracts
The role attributed to Yaghoubi in this case is not limited to approving or opposing an appointment. He is responsible for coordinating individuals in various parts of the network and pursuing programs that continue even after managers are appointed; from introducing contractors to influencing contracts and product sales. In this structure, Ibn al-Reza is in the decision-making position of the ministry, and Sadeghi can influence affiliated companies from his managerial position at SATA.
However, the most sensitive part of this narrative relates to the role of Sajjad Yaghoubi. Some sources associated with this network have said that intermediaries, when demanding money from managers, have spoken of coordination with Rahim Yaghoubi and in some cases, to demonstrate Yaghoubi's role and awareness of the money collection process, managers have been informed that Sajjad, his son, will be the recipient of the funds.
Rahim Yaghoubi, who has a background in security management within the armed forces, was appointed as the head of Information Protection at the Ministry of Defense in July 2022 by the decree of Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, the then Minister of Defense, during the government of Ebrahim Raisi. At that time, some media, referring to his security background, assessed this appointment as part of a security arrangement in sensitive ministries and spoke of his extensive powers.
In the documents presented in this case, the change of government and the change of the Minister of Defense have not led to the weakening of the network that has formed over the past four years. On the contrary, it is said that the network, whose members have been selected and arranged with Yaghoubi's role, has become a powerful entity in the energy sector and has expanded its activities independently of changes at the top of the ministry.
A Multi-layered Network to Protect the Core Circle
One of the key points of the case is the method of networking attributed to Yaghoubi in the subsequent layers. In this narrative, individuals like Mehdi Riazi, brother of Sardar Riazi, one of the deputies of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, are mentioned in the upper layer of guiding the group. Also, the name of Ziauddin Aghajanpour, representative of the Supreme Leader and head of the Ideological and Political Organization of the Ministry of Defense, has been mentioned.
Alongside these individuals, creating communication layers with the judiciary and the Ministry of Intelligence, as well as allocating a special share for Ibn al-Reza and Alqasi Mehr, the former prosecutor and head of the Tehran Judiciary, are other matters raised in this case.
According to this narrative, the aim of such an arrangement is to create a multi-layered protective structure that can shield the network from security and judicial actions; a structure that Yaghoubi's security background and current position have made easier to establish and manage.
Some managers who are said to have encountered this network have also provided a similar narrative. According to them, experts from the Information Protection section of the ministry and the Armed Forces Social Security Organization, when exerting informational pressure or forming cases against managers, have pointed to Sardar Yaghoubi's key role in guiding the group. In these narratives, the presence of Sajjad Yaghoubi is also introduced as a sign of the power of this network and the path of growth for compliant managers.
Reviewing the performance of managers of SATA's subsidiary companies is also another part of this case. Among them, figures like Amin Amraei in Marun Petrochemical are mentioned; a manager whose performance in this case is described with widespread corruption and apparent loss, and it is said that only through coordination with the circle associated with Yaghoubi has he been able to continue his management.
According to this narrative, the network, through aligned managers, has not only gained access to a series of rent-seeking contracts, but some of these connections have also become a pathway for the core circle's capital to be transferred abroad.
