Iranian lawmaker calls for returning Justice Shares management to holders; 30 million still lack direct control

Jafar Qaderi, a member of the Iranian parliament's economic committee, said on Wednesday 29 July 2026 that Justice Shares companies are managed by provincial investment companies while the shares themselves are registered in citizens' names. He said that of roughly 49 million Justice Shares holders, close to 19 million have opted for direct management, while about 30 million still have their shares effectively held by county-level Justice Shares cooperatives with no direct say in managing them.

Qaderi proposed converting the provincial investment companies into public joint-stock cooperatives so that management passes to the shareholders themselves, with caps on individual and corporate holdings to prevent ownership from concentrating in particular hands. He added that now that general assemblies can be held virtually, the original rationale for county-level cooperatives no longer applies.

The remarks are a proposal at parliamentary committee level and have not yet become law or an executive directive.