Concerns about how President Massoud Pezeshkian's cabinet has been operating since taking office are steadily increasing, especially regarding inequality in areas such as media, access to Internet and treatment of men and women in Iran.
In a commentary in Etemad newspaper on Monday, columnist Abbas Abdi argued that addressing inequality is the greatest challenge facing the Pezeshkian administration. He further cautioned that failing to tackle these disparities could push society into a dangerous imbalance.
Although Abdi belongs to the broader ‘reformist camp’ and is sympathetic to Pezeshkian, he felt necessary to warn the new president, during his political honeymoon, to become more sensitive to the urgent need for change. Although Pezeshkian sometimes sounds like a reformist, he also acts in a conservative manner with full deference to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
He noted that these inequalities are evident in areas such as the economy, regional development, water supply, environmental issues, budget allocation, employment, and retirement. If left unaddressed, they are likely to strain the government's relationship with the public and widen social and political divides in society.
Abdi warned that these inequalities are becoming increasingly severe, and the government's frequent mismanagement of them is creating social and political problems. He further emphasized that many of these issues have straightforward solutions, but if mishandled, they risk spreading to other areas and exacerbating the situation.
Abdi reiterated that addressing these inequalities requires a coordinated effort from all branches of government, as they cannot be resolved single-handedly. He also blamed previous administrations, including the Raisi government, for contributing to these issues. According to Abdi, Raisi's Minister of Economy, Ehsan Khandouzi, mentioned that Raisi's ministers raised concerns, but their warnings went unheeded.
Abdi emphasized that the government is duty-bound to do its utmost to resolve these problems and restore the people's trust.
Iranian entrepreneur Mohammad Bahrainian also wrote in an open letter to Pezeshkian that the government should avoid turning the people's hopes into a mirage.
He wrote, "Pezeshkian's presidential candidacy and his promise to improve the country's situation by appointing experts to key positions gave Iranians a renewed sense of hope. However, the plans presented by the new government's economic ministers show no sign of change or a path out of the country's problems." He continued, "What we've heard so far is merely a repetition of the same flowery, run-of-the-mill statements with no sign of innovation on the horizon. We've been hearing these statements for decades, yet nothing has changed."
The entrepreneur advised that Pezeshkian's ministers should surround themselves with a team of experts in their respective fields to scrutinize decisions before they are announced or implemented. These experts, Bahrainian emphasized, should be recognized for their expertise and have a track record free of corruption.
This advice followed a series of appointments by the new government that appeared misaligned, seemingly made without consideration of individuals' expertise or track record.
The growing concerns among experts about Pezeshkian's government and its operations are alarming. If Pezeshkian continues to disregard these warnings, observers believe that Iran and its government could face a perilous situation.
