Iran’s new cabinet will be facing old problems

The process to form a new cabinet in Iran has officially begun with President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian appointing former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as the head of the Strategic Council for Transition.

According to reformist daily Shargh, the council is tasked with shortlisting the candidates for ministerial and vice-presidential posts in the Pezeshkian administration. Iranian presidents usually have a “first vice-president” and several others in charge of critical government tasks.

Earlier, rumors said that Zarif was going to be the senior vice president in the new government, however, Zarif said last week that no one has been yet nominated for the post. Some of the reports during the past week mentioned Executives of Construction Party leader Hossein Marashi as a nominee for the post. However, Marashi's involvement in a variety of businesses may prevent him from joining the government.

Another potential nominee for the post is former vice-president Mohammad Reza Aref, who has faced heavy criticism from the press and politicians for his "inaction, indecision, and inefficiency" as the leader of the reformist faction in the Iranian parliament from 2016 to 2020.

Zarif has denied reports Pezeshkian is under pressure by other politicians including former President Mohammad Khatami to appoint certain individuals to posts in the new government.

Other reports quoted Mohammad Hashemi, a former state TV chief and a brother of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani as saying that five committees or work groups have been set up to work on the forming of the new cabinet based on merits.

With the committees in place, the President-elect does not need recommendations by anyone to appoint his ministers, Hashemi said, adding that Pezeshkian has asked every committee to nominate three individuals for every ministry. He will eventually take his pick from among those nominated.

Meanwhile, in letters to civil institutions and political parties, Pezeshkian asked them last week to recommend individuals for ministerial posts in the government. The letters have even been sent to conservative political parties, reports say. Some of the criteria for the nominations are lowering the average age of the cabinet, national rather than factional tendencies, as well as honesty.

So far, former Minister of Economy Ali Tayebnia appears to be the most likely choice for the post. He is widely regarded in the reform and moderate camps, and even some conservatives, as having the expertise to rescue Iran from its economic crisis. The economist from Isfahan was instrumental in nearly convincing the entire government during the Rouhani administration that joining the FATF conventions could benefit Iran's economy. However, his efforts were ultimately obstructed by conservatives in the Expediency Council and the Supreme Council of National Security.

FATF is an international organization formed by G7 member countries to protect the international financial system and its recommendations shape banking policies of most countries and businesses who want to protect their own integrity and reputations. Thus, Iran’s international banking is severely impacted by its status in the FATF blacklist.

Lists have been going around on social media of possible cabinet ministers, but none are reliable. Some users are however aware that some of those lists are meant to groom individuals and introduce them to the new president.

The challenge with Pezeshkian's call for young, liberal ministers for his cabinet is that many of the reform-minded and moderate young men and women from middle-class families have left the country. The instability of previous governments has likely left them with little hope of returning to work in Iran. This situation is partly due to the lack of respect for expertise and academic credentials in administrations filled with officials holding fake diplomas.

Forming a cabinet with the goal of addressing numerous longstanding issues is a daunting task, particularly in the absence of young, educated experts and given the poor track record of older politicians across the Iranian political landscape. Cabinets are not easy to change or reshuffle frequently, making this challenge even more complex.

During his campaign, Pezeshkian once asked, "We bring foreign coaches for our football teams. Why shouldn't we be able to seek help from foreign advisers?" His question, which sounded naïve, was met with nothing but frowning faces.