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Today, Masoud Pezeshkian, the newly appointed president of the clerical dictatorship in Iran, submitted his proposed cabinet list to the regime’s parliament (Majles), sparking a fierce battle among the various factions within the regime. The submission, delayed by three hours, was met with immediate backlash and intensified the ongoing power struggle within the ruling elite. Speaker of the Majles, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who read out the list, attempted to downplay the growing tensions, but his remarks only highlighted the deep divisions.
The cabinet announcement has drawn criticism from various corners, particularly from the so-called “reformist” factions. Saeed Shariati, a member of that camp, criticized Pezeshkian’s choices, stating, “By combining figures from Raisi’s administration, like Abbas Aliabadi and Esmail Khatib, with those from Hassan Rouhani and Mohammad Khatami’s governments, Pezeshkian has created a hodgepodge that will yield no positive results.”
Prior to the announcement, several self-proclaimed reformist figures expressed their concerns about the composition of his government in a letter addressed to Pezeshkian, warning, “We write this letter as worrying reports about the composition of your cabinet reach us. In the formation of your administration, do not allow favoritism and unsound processes to lead to the exclusion of qualified individuals and the deepening of public despair.”
Reasons Behind #Khamenei’s Forced Approval of Masoud Pezeshkian in #Iran’s Sham Electionhttps://t.co/OC0zjoxuLn
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 11, 2024
On the other side, on the Friday preceding the cabinet’s announcement, Khamenei’s representatives and Friday prayer leaders across various cities urged Pezeshkian to appoint individuals who align with Khamenei’s criteria.
Furthermore, MP Hosseinali Haji Deligani also issued a stark warning regarding the cabinet’s approval, saying, “Our criteria include loyalty to the Supreme Leader and a lack of attachment to the United States. It must be thoroughly examined whether the necessary vetting for these appointments has been conducted.”
Amidst these tensions, Pezeshkian’s decision to retain Mohammad Eslami, who served as the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran under Raisi, has been particularly controversial. Eslami’s past affiliations with the Revolutionary Guards and his involvement in the regime’s nuclear program have long been subjects of scrutiny. Eslami’s extensive background was exposed in 2005 by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which revealed his pivotal role in the regime’s nuclear activities, including his leadership of the negotiations with Pakistan’s nuclear scientist, Abdul Qadeer Khan, in 1987.
Ali Gholhaki, a journalist aligned with the so-called “reformist faction,” questioned Eslami’s enduring influence, asking, “What kind of magic does Mohammad Eslami possess that allows him to hold high-ranking positions in the administrations of Rouhani, Raisi, and now Pezeshkian?”
Tensions Boil Over in #Iran’s Regime as Pezeshkian Makes Cabinet Pickshttps://t.co/EH4YiIYhWb pic.twitter.com/MEBpBaSNFF
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) August 6, 2024
Ehsan Bodaqi, another reformist journalist, voiced his frustration at the potential reappointment of figures from Raisi’s administration, posting on X, “If the senior members of the 14th government had spit in our faces, it would have been better than considering people like Reza Moradsahraee for cabinet positions. Mr. Pezeshkian! We voted for you to end the disastrous management of people like him, not to retain them.”
Shahindokht Molaverdi, former presidential deputy for Women and Family Affairs under Rouhani, also criticized Pezeshkian, arguing, “Although the country’s management under homogenization and purification has hit a dead end, that does not mean we should fall off the opposite side of the roof. The cabinet should be composed of those who at least adhere to the principle of ‘internal consensus and global engagement.’”
The state-run Didar News echoed these sentiments, noting, “Unfortunately, the mechanisms designed for selecting ministers have faced a significant defeat, and even the Strategic Council has failed to guide the process effectively. The constant changes and confusion surrounding the president’s choices reflect this failure.”
#Iran News:
Khamenei’s Enforcers Command #MasoudPezeshkian to Fall in Line with Supreme Leaderhttps://t.co/T3QKBOLyCz— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 14, 2024
Daneshjoo News, an IRGC-affiliated outlet, criticized the notion of a “national consensus government,” declaring, “The idea of forming a national consensus government in the reformist camp was much ado about nothing! The objections from prominent reformists to the presence of certain ministers from the 13th government in Pezeshkian’s cabinet indicate that the notion of national consensus and internal cohesion is gradually unraveling.”
Critics have also pointed out that Pezeshkian’s proposed cabinet has an average age of 60 years, with 12 out of the 19 nominated ministers being over 60, three between 55 and 60, two between 50 and 55, and only two at 48 years old.
Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, denounced Pezeshkian’s cabinet, stating, “Masoud Pezeshkian, the regime’s new president, found himself positioned midway between Rouhani and Raisi. His cabinet represents a blend of criminal and corrupt elements from both Raisi’s and Rouhani’s administrations. From the outset, he claimed that his involvement stemmed from his concern over a looming threat to the regime—a threat that has intensified with the growing internal strife among the regime’s warring factions. Pezeshkian himself acknowledged that his primary objective was to implement Khamenei’s policies. Nonetheless, in sharp contrast to the religious dictatorship, the overarching aim of the Iranian people remains the dismantling of Khamenei’s regime and the entire Velayat-e Faqih system, with the ultimate goal of establishing a democratic republic.”
