A heartwarming story emerged from Iran as a humble citizen demonstrated extraordinary honesty by returning a bag filled with gold and dollars to its rightful owner.
The 52-year-old resident of Aligudarz, a city in western Iran, stumbled upon the valuable cache while searching through a rubbish bin.
Despite facing economic challenges in a country grappling with international sanctions and high unemployment, the man adhered to the principles of integrity instilled by his parents.
The news also appeared in al-monitor and other media outlets.
"I couldn't keep the gold and dollars for myself," he recounted to the daily Etemad, owing to the moral values instilled in him since childhood. "My parents taught me that you should return property belonging to others when you find it," he said.
"I kept this gold and these dollars for a few days, but I could not keep them for myself," out of fear of violating the principles of honesty he was raised on, he added.
He eventually tracked down the owner through a bank card found inside the bag and returned the treasure, valued at approximately 20 billion rials ($31,000).
The assets belonged to a woman in her 50s, whose grandson had mistakenly discarded the bag, assuming it contained only waste.
The heartening act of returning the wealth underscores the resilience of honesty in the face of adversity. In a nation grappling with economic challenges, the selfless gesture of this individual serves as a beacon of integrity and restores faith in humanity.
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