Patience runs thin in Tehran as cabinet formation drags on

The slow pace of forming a new cabinet, nearly two months after rapid developments in Iran following the former president's death, has sparked widespread speculation among the public and politicians.

Newspapers and their affiliated politicians, as well as social media users are engaging in all sorts of speculation, many of which are quickly refuted by members of President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian's inner circle.

Expectations are often expressed as wishful thinking. As Pezeshkian himself has noted, some politicians try to promote themselves for desired posts by spreading rumors about their imminent appointment.

Some, like Ettela'at Newspaper Managing Editor Abbas Salehi Amiri have opted out of the vetting committees set up by former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. Salehi, whose name came up in the media as one of those the committees have chosen for the post of Culture Minister, told reporters that he will not accept the position.

The newspaper, one of the biggest media organizations operating under the aegis of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's office, publishes a daily newspaper and a dozen popular magazines. It owns one of the country's biggest printing houses which has an enviable annual turnover. The newspaper also has a publishing house as well as several bookstores in Iran. It is far bigger than many of the government ministries.

On the other hand, although he has held government posts before, Salehi Amiri is a moderate politician weary of the utterly aggressive political landscape in Iran.

Hossein Marashi, the Secretary General of centrist Executives of Construction Party that supported Pezeshkian during the election was rumored to be the next Vice President. However, he denied the reports. He said he has told Pezeshkian that Khamenei is a lonely person nowadays and he needs the country's biggest and most senior experts to serve in the government.

Another politician rumored to be the next vice president is former Majles Speaker Ali Larijani. While many politicians and members of the public have welcomed this rumor, some have expressed concerns that Larijani, being a far more prominent political figure than Pezeshkian, might overshadow the President and affect his performance.

Some Iranian politicians still believe that despite his disqualification by the Guardian Council for the latest and previous presidential elections, Larijani is still one of the closest Iranian politicians to Khamenei who trusts his loyalty and devotion.

Other media outlets in Iran have said with a degree of certainty that Larijani is going to be the next Secretary of Iran's Supreme Council of National Security. However, it would sound a bit strange if Larijani, a very proud politician, accepts to go back to a post he used to hold many years ago under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Meanwhile, former Culture Minister Ali Jannati who believes all the cabinet ministers and vice presidents will come from the moderate part of the Iranian political landscape, has reiterated that former Minister of Economy Ali Tayyebnia and former foreign minister Zarif will most certainly be in Pezeshkian's cabinet. Jannati and others have said that Larijani is ideal for the post of Senior Vice President and Tayyebnia is fit for the post of Vice President for Economic Affairs.

Several politicians including former Deputy Foreign Ministers Abbas Araqchi and Seyyed Mohammad Sadr as well as former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi are said to have been nominated for the post of Foreign Minister.

Zarif and former ITC Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi who have said they will not be in the new cabinet, are still mentioned as possible members of the cabinet despite harsh attacks by their political rivals in the ultraconservative Paydari Party who branded them as “Pat and Mat”, the sloppy characters of a Czech cartoon aired on the Iranian state TV.

Azari Jahromi, one of Iran's youngest former cabinet ministers and a former director general at the Ministry of Intelligence, has said that he doesn't mind others calling him Pat or Mat, adding that if Pezeshkian seeks his help, he will be there for him.

Rumors will soon end as Pezeshkian names his ministers and vice presidents, but conflicts and controversies over the appointments he makes are likely to continue for a long time.