Washington, D.C., August 4, 2008 - The Voice of America (VOA) is examining corruption in Iran in a series of stories based on an Iranian parliamentary report obtained exclusively by the Persian News Network (PNN).

The seven-part series, seen by millions of viewers across Iran on PNN's satellite TV channel, details, among other things, how Iranian Government officials accepted bribes from students seeking entry into the competitive university system.

The report also reveals that drug dealers conspired with judicial officials to receive reduced sentences, and government officials set up corporations outside the reach of regulatory systems.

The series is based on a 195-page report that resulted from a four-year investigation by the Islamic Republic of Iran's Parliament. The parliament released a portion of its report a few months ago, but details of the full report have not been aired until now.

PNN broadcasts a 24/7 satellite television stream comprised of six hours of original programming, plus acquired programs. VOA has the largest combined radio and television audience of all international broadcasters there, with one in four Iranians tuning into VOA in some form.

The Voice of America, which first went on the air in 1942, is a multimedia international broadcasting service funded by the U.S. government through the Broadcasting Board of Governors.  VOA broadcasts more than 1,250 hours of news, information, educational, and cultural programming every week to an estimated worldwide audience of more than 134 million people.  Programs are produced in 45 languages.