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Billions Go Missing From Iran's Secret Oil Cash Network

17 Sep 2026, 18:59 GMT By Radio Farda, Roya Maleki, Will Tizard
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Billions of dollars in oil revenue are missing from Iran’s coffers. At the center of the scandal are shadowy middlemen known as "trustees" who help Tehran sell oil, steel, petrochemicals, and other goods abroad while bypassing international sanctions. But the middlemen Iran used have not all been handing over the sales revenues -- instead, many have absconded with it, to the tune of over $11 billion. Roya Maleki from RFE/RL's Negah-e-Farda (Iran Tomorrow) program explains.