Allocation of three-year interest-free loan to members of the Iranian parliament to buy cars at knock-down prices has sparked a public outcry. But one parliamentarian has dismissed criticism as “a scenario written by the regime antagonists to discredit the legislative power.”

In an open parliamentary session on Wednesday [September 30], senior legislator Hossein Noushabadi said media and social-media criticisms were designed to undermine popular trust in the parliament. “Allocation of some limited benefits…within the Parliament’s regulations to help lawmakers carry out their duties…should not distract the public from the major problems of the country,” he insisted.

‘Principlists’ often appeal to poorer Iranians with ‘revolutionary,’ egalitarian language while criticizing rivals for corruption and luxurious living. But the hardline-dominated Parliament elected in February, the eleventh since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has come under fire over a variety of perks. These have ranged from parliamentarians receiving influenza vaccines before vulnerable Iranians to receiving loans and deposits for renting houses as alternatives to the apartments usually provided for deputies.

Some lawmakers rejected the government apartments, uncomfortable with the alleged cameras installed in the residencies.

Mousa Ghazanfarabadi, spokesman for the parliament’s disciplinary committee, on Tuesday had said that Ruhollah Izadkhah, a parliamentarian whose disclosures over the allocation of expensive cars sparked huge media attention and public criticism, had been called in and would be investigated.

Ghazanfarabadi alleged that Izadkhah, a representative in Tehran, had caused huge financial losses to parliament as the plan to sell the cars to lawmakers instead of providing them service vehicles would have saved over one trillion rials. A “negative atmosphere” had led to lawmakers withdrawing applications for the car loans.

The controversy blew up after Izadkhah in an Instagram post on September 20 said that instead of providing transport for parliamentarians or offering them use of a vehicle for their elected term, parliament had offered the option of a three-year loan to buy a Dena Plus at a reduced price.

Dena Plus is a family sedan made by Iran Khodro. At 6 billion rials on the open market, it is beyond the pockets of most Iranians, but the car was offered to parliamentarians at just 3 billion rials. Izadkhah said that the car would remain parliament’s property for just a year, after which it could be sold.

Many, including Saeed Lavasani, Friday prayer Imam of Lavasan, Tehran province, pointed out that even at a reduced rate, scheduled monthly repayment of 830 million rials would exceed the monthly salary of lawmakers.