Politicians Call For Reforms In Iran, Replacing Cabinet Members
A prominent commentator says the Iranian uprising is a fire under the ashes that can flare up any moment for any reason and create even a more massive movement.
A prominent commentator says the Iranian uprising is a fire under the ashes that can flare up any moment for any reason and create even a more massive movement.
In an interview with reformist daily Etemad, centrist academic Sadegh Zibakalam also warned the government about its annoying treatment of women and young Iranians. It would be wrong to go back to repressive policies the government followed prior to the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, which led to the country's biggest uprising since mid-September.
Zibakalam added that some Iranian officials deny the crisis in Iran and believe that protests were created by foreigners, but it is over now. However, he warned that the reasons for the uprising are still there, and future protests could be even more widespread.
The outspoken pundit said if there is no change in Iran and the government continues its repressive policies, there are reasons to be worried about the future of the regime. The people's demand for regime change is an outcome of disillusionment and despair and lack of hope in reforms, he argued.
After four months of unrest, protesters are more determined that the clerical regime should go and a secular, democratic political system must replace it.
Zibakalam said that university students were the driving force behind the protests. It looks like there is a slowdown in protests only because the universities are currently closed for exams and because because of enormous government pressure. But this does not mean the protests have receded.
The academic said that during the past 43 years, the student Basij was created to stop Iran's student movement, but not only the Basij has not been successful, the student movement has gained more power and momentum year after year.
Criticizing the consolidation of conservative's control over Iran in the 2021 presidential election by barring others from running, Zibakalam said you cannot control 80 million Iranians by one or two million radical revolutionaries.
Meanwhile, reformist lawmaker Massoud Pezeshkian criticized his colleagues at the Iranian Parliament (Majles) for chanting slogans such as death to this or that country instead of trying to correct the state of affairs in Iran. "We need to tolerate others and work and collaborate with the world," he said adding that "we need to create solidarity inside Iran."
"When you say death to this or that country, they will also say death to you," Pezeshkian quipped.
Referring to some officials' radical threats against other nations during the past week, the lawmaker from Tabriz, criticized the government for doing away with experts in the government and giving big jobs to incapable people with no experience or knowledge. The failure of government policies is the outcome of our choice of managers and officials, he said.
Pezeshkian then asked whether the government can replace some officials and appoint new ones. "This cannot be done. This government is basically incapable of solving the country's current problems," he said.
Levelling similar accusations against the government, conservative politician Hedayatollah Khademi told Nameh News that President Ebrahim Raisi needs to replace some of his ministers in order to save himself. "There is no reason for him to continue working with these inefficient individuals who are the subject of many jokes among citizens. All cabinet members must be changed," he said, adding that "Iran is the only country in the world whose foreign minister and nuclear negotiators cannot speak English."
Khademi also criticized the parliament for failing to supervise the government's performance. He charged that most lawmakers are currently working on their re-election or if they have no hope, they are appeasing the government to make sure that they will get a job after they finish their term in the parliament.
Thousands of Baluch citizens took to the streets in Zahedan Friday for the 16th consecutive week and chanted “Down with the Dictator” and “Khamenei is a murderer; his rule is illegitimate”.
The Sunni Baluch population have held protests in Zahedan every Friday after prayers since September 30 when government forces cracked down on demonstrators, killing more than 80 people.
Reports say a new round of detaining Baluch teenagers and youths is underway since Friday, and according to Hal Vash website, which monitors events in Sistan-Baluchestan province and those affecting Iran's Sunni minority, police forces arrested several young Baluch men in different neighborhoods of the city.
While Iran’s Judiciary claimed earlier this week that thousands of protesters have been freed, it arrests more people, and those released face legal charges that can send them back to prison.
"The families of the detained citizens have held gatherings in front of the police station demanding the release of their children," added Hal Vash.
Based on the report, security forces have arrested several Afghan and Uzbek nationals living in Zahedan, threatening residents not to do business with these Sunni people.
On the other hand, regime forces and plainclothes agents arrested Baluch people who did not have identity documents or were not carrying it.
The pressure on Baluch citizens has began since Wednesday with setting up checkpoints at several roads leading to Zahedan.
Mowlavi Abdolhamid, the outspoken Sunni leader of Zahedan delivered yet another fiery sermon Friday protesting the doubling of checkpoints. “Seven stop and search checkpoints have turned into fifteen,” he said.
Abdolhamid has become an effective critic of the Islamic Republic since September, speaking freely even against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Although the regime could arrest him anytime, that would lead to further trouble with Sunnis, and especially the Baluch population who regard them as a community leader and an advocate of their grievances.
The new measures included at least fifteen concrete block stop and search checkpoints on roads leading to Zahedan to control the flow of cars into the city, with security forces demanding identification and often questioning passengers. Internet connection has also been heavily restricted in the province since protests began four months ago.
“A government that does not listen to the voice of the people does not deserve to rule,” said Mowlavi Abdolhamid in his Friday sermon in Zahedan, capital of the restive Sistan-Baluchestan Province.
In recent weeks, the Islamic Republic has threatened and arrested dozens of citizens in Sistan and Baluchestan and beefed-up security in Zahedan with the aim of ending the routine protests on Fridays.
The detainees were mostly teenagers and young people, and according to Baluch activists, many of them are under pressure to "give forced confessions".
Since the beginning of protests in Zahedan and other cities of the province, many citizens have been detained with the fate of many remaining unknown.
According to Hal Vash, the regime has sent private messages to Mowlavi Abdolhamid through influential tribal figures, threatening to arrest him and destroy Makki Mosque in which he delivers sermons.
The increase of threats, along with mass arrest of Baluch youths, has raised concerns about the possibility of another brutal attack by the regime on Zahedan protesters.
Jahanabadi further charged that Iranian officials do not believe in governance as an expertise and try to “re-invent the wheel” instead of learning from 200 other countries.
"Iranian politicians are constantly reinventing the wheel. They never ask themselves how their counterparts in 200 other countries treat and manage their national currencies and foreign exchanges. They do not believe in banking as a knowledge-based practice and an expertise. With all that I wonder why we are so complacent and always believe that we can correct the world," the lawmaker said.
He drew attention to the fact that officials during the past weeks claimed that the fall in the value of Iran’s currency was the outcome of the protests. But they never ask themselves why it keeps falling even when the streets are calmer.
Jahanabadi explained that when society is volatile, some people tend to invest in real estate in other countries. This has happened during the protests in 2017-2019. In 2022, a lot of capital left Iran for purchasing properties in Armenia, Georgia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Furthermore, at times of unrest, many shift their capital to gold and foreign currencies to prevent the devaluation of their assets. Iran’s rial has fallen more sharply and is more vulnerable than even in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Jahanabadi maintained that almost everyone knows that “our political, economic, foreign and cultural policies need reform, but no one knows who should start that reform.” However, he added: "As one of 290 Iranian lawmakers, I think this country needs essential reforms. We need to change the structures, methods, views and policies." He added that as a result of the current situation buying a house, a car and finding a job have been turned into a dream for many young Iranians. Why shouldn't they be depressed and desperate?"
Meanwhile, reformist politician Hassan Rasouli has said in an interview that Iranians' demands are miles apart from views held by officials. Top officials regularly make many false claims. He argued that the political system’s main responsibility is to be responsive to the wishes of the people and this requires comprehensive, long-term and realistic plans.
Rasouli added that the current situation leaves no hope of improvement. Problems in Iran's domestic politics have left no international respect for Iran.
He was probably referring to the government's violent and ruthless reaction to recent protests in Iran and its ignorance of challenges in the international arena. What the officials have been doing in this regard so far, Rasouli said, has been nothing other than simply ignoring or denying problems, while inefficiency is visible in all economic, security, cultural and social matters.
On Thursday, economist Bahman Arman had said that decisions in the government are affected by the influence of a group that is against development and progress. He was probably referring to the intervention of ultraconservative figures, mainly the members of Paydari Party in the affairs of the government, and individuals like former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili who offer suggestions to the Raisi Administration on many matters including the nuclear issue without being accountable for the consequences of their intervention.
Like Rasouli, Arman also said that the government does not have an intelligent roadmap and as a result makes too many errors without trying to compensate for them later. As a result, said Rasouli, divides between the people and the government are likely to further widen and Iran's vanishing middle class is likely to be turned into a needy class, although government officials will probably continue to brag about a "progress" that as they claim makes Iran's enemies jealous.