Cleric Seddiqi Accused of Transferring Seminary Land to Family-Owned Company

3. The Empire of the Foundations (Bonyads)
One of the most significant conduits for corruption involving the ruling elite is the system of powerful, tax-exempt, quasi-governmental foundations, known as Bonyads. These charitable trusts, such as the Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order (EIKO), the Foundation of the Oppressed (Mostazafan Bonyad), and Astan Quds Razavi, were originally established to manage confiscated Pahlavi assets and aid the poor. Today, they control massive, opaque financial empires that dominate large sectors of the Iranian economy, including construction, oil, finance, and telecommunications. These Bonyads are typically run by appointees from the clerical or military elite (often retired IRGC commanders or high-ranking clerics) and are accountable only to the Supreme Leader, creating a system that critics describe as institutionalized corruption and rent-seeking.