Pundits pessimistic about Pezeshkian's government, predict failure

A prominent Iranian "reformist" journalist has warned that the Pezeshkian administration is doomed to fail due to negative coverage from state TV, Iran’s hardline media, and foreign-based Persian outlets.

In an interview with centrist Ham Mihan daily which was widely carried by other Iranian media, Ahmad Zeidabadi said "What Pezeshkian is doing is like competing in a speech contest while his mouth is kept shut!"

He pointed out that while Masoud Pezeshkian was holding a news conference in Tehran earlier this month, the state TV was conducting a poll showing negative attitudes toward the President and his cabinet.

Zeidabadi noted that official state media is not supposed to oppose the government's policies, pointing to the hardline rhetoric of state TV, which is intended as a public relations tool for the administration. Despite the challenging media landscape in Iran, Zeidabadi argued that the role of scrutinizing the government's performance should fall to independent media.

He also criticized the state TV's monopoly on broadcasting in Iran. "The presidential administration does not have an exclusive media platform of its own and at the same time it is being targeted by sinister propaganda from the most important state-owned media outlet," the journalist observed.

Iran’s state TV is indirectly controlled by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei through high-level appointees. Currently, well-known hardliners control programming at the sprawling organization, which employs around 40,000 people, with a constantly growing budget, while public services and schools suffer from serious financial problems.

Zeidabadi also accused Persian-language media outside Iran, whose popularity he attributed to the inefficiency of Iranian state TV, of aggressively broadcasting anti-government propaganda into the country. "In such an environment, the Pezeshkian administration stands no chance of success," he reiterated.

In fact, organizations such as the BBC Persian Service and Iran International simply play the role of a non-governmental Iranian media, in the absence of press freedom within the country.

Zeidabadi further said, presumably addressing the state TV, that the time for highlighting the problems is over and it is now time to offer solutions. He stressed that if the state TV does not change its approach, Pezeshkian and his cabinet will certainly fail.

In a debate on the YouTube Channel of Free-Thinking School, former deputy Parliament Speaker Mohamad Reza Khatami, a brother of former "reformist" President Mohammad Khatami and conservative Iranian sociologist Parviz Amini held a debate entitled, "Is the national accord government likely to fail?"

In the debate, Mohammad Reza Khatami emphasized that Iran's new generation no longer cares about the actions or statements of former leaders like Rafsanjani and Khatami. He noted that the younger generation sees these figures as part of the government that has ruled for the past 45 years. Khatami argued that if national accord is truly the goal, the government should at least offer meaningful gestures, such as improving internet access and addressing women's issues. He added that if officials want even critics of the government to participate in elections, they must create an environment where voters can expect real change in governance.

He urged the government to recognize the growing disconnect between its views and those of the new generation.

Parviz Amini argued that the composition of Pezeshkian's cabinet is not the key issue, suggesting that national accord isn’t achieved by simply appointing individuals from different groups to government roles. He emphasized the need for a central, cohesive vision, explaining how the administration plans to tackle issues like inequality and energy consumption. Amini stressed that Pezeshkian’s focus should be on social development, addressing poverty and inequality, particularly in education and healthcare.

He further noted that even past presidents with clear ideas and plans failed, warning that Pezeshkian, lacking a concrete plan, could face an even worse fate.

Comments under the video were far less restrained. One user bluntly stated that Pezeshkian is doomed to fail, while another argued that reforming the current system is impossible. A third commenter, rejecting the conservative-reformist divide altogether, warned, "We'll send all of you—reformists and conservatives—straight to hell!"