Investigative journalist Yashar Soltani, the former director of "Ma’mari News" website, published a copy of the land sale contract, which Sedighi incorporated into the "Khomeini" religious school in North Tehran. According to the documents, the land was sold for 6.6 billion tomans (approximately $1.57 million).

The new document follows a series of documents released earlier this month by Soltani, which detailed how Sedighi and his sons acquired the land located in "Azkel," adjacent to the Tjrish commercial district in north Tehran. Soltani also published another document accusing Sedighi of diverting funds from an endowed hotel to the "Khomeini" religious school.

The issue has sparked widespread reactions across Iran. Media outlets aligned with the reformist movement have attempted to illuminate the case's intricacies, whereas media close to the "Revolutionary Guard" have attacked those disseminating the documents.

Despite public questions surrounding the case, "there has been no response from the judicial system," Soltani stated on his website.

According to the "Asr Iran" website, the sale price of the mentioned land "would not suffice to purchase a 50 square meter apartment" in the "Azkel" district.

The document from the Real Estate Deeds Registration Office indicates that the total amount was paid in cash to the seller, Kazem Sedighi. The land was purchased by Javad Azizi, a former official at the Imam Khomeini Seminary, and Mohammad Mehdi Sedighi. "Khabar Online" questioned why the mentioned amount was not transferred via bank transactions and which banks issued the cash notes.

Initially, Sedighi denied signing the documents, accusing some individuals of forging his signature. He described the criticisms as "rumor-mongering," stating they "target people's beliefs before targeting me."

However, the board of the "Khomeini" religious school distanced itself from Sedighi's denials, issuing a statement that "Sedighi personally signed the documents."

Sedighi, a cleric close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and chairman of the Committee for Propagating Virtue and Preventing Vice, has been leading Tehran's Friday Prayers since his appointment following the "Green Movement" protests in summer 2009.

The case against Sedighi emerges just weeks after hardline conservative candidates dominated the Iranian parliament in elections marked by the lowest voter turnout in the 45 years since the 1979 revolution. Many attributed the historic low participation to widespread discontent with the living and economic conditions, highlighted by the countrywide protests following the death of young woman Mahsa Amini while in morality police custody.

Extravagant Properties Extravagant Salaries

Soltani gained notoriety in the summer of 2016 after publishing documents regarding the sale of Tehran Municipality properties during the tenure of Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the current parliamentary speaker. The documents included a list of officials and "Revolutionary Guard" leaders who acquired properties at prices significantly lower than their real value, known as the "Astronomical Real Estate Scandal."

The "Astronomical Real Estate Scandal" was a counter-response to the disclosure of documents by anonymous sources accusing the administration of former President Hassan Rouhani of granting "astronomical salaries" to senior officials in his government, especially bank presidents. The documents were interpreted as an attempt to undermine Rouhani's campaign for a second term, which he won in 2017.