Politicians warn Pezeshkian against nepotism and his 'super project'

A conservative politician and several centrist figures have publicly offered key advice to President Pezeshkian, raising questions about why it was shared in the media rather than in private discussions.

Former conservative lawmaker Mohsen Kouhkan has urged President Pezeshkian and Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref to prevent their close relatives from interfering in politics, warning that some individuals may exploit their family ties for personal gain.

In an interview with Khabar Online, Kouhkan referred to cases including Pezeshkian's son-in-law Hassan Majidi's appointment as the executive assistant to Pezeshkian's chief of staff and previous accusations about his daughter's influence in the government-owned Petrochemical Company of Iran, as well as rumors about Vice President Aref's son's intervention in the affairs of the government, and warned the president and his aides not to allow their relatives to meddle with the affairs of the state.

Amid the silence of both Pezeshkian and Aref, a presidential supporter stated in an interview that he has seen no "destructive" interference by top officials' relatives in state affairs. He accused those raising concerns of nepotism of attempting to stir political trouble to undermine the officials.

However, such opinions could either amplify the accusations or reveal a disconnect between administration officials and the country’s political elite. It also highlights the failure of Pezeshkian's vision for national accord, even among prominent politicians.

The idea od ‘national accord’ heralded by Pezeshkian has been criticized as a political jargon for cooperation among Islamic Republic factions rather than a true social contract with the populace.

In another development, former Tehran mayor Gholamhossein Karbaschi, a key supporter of Pezeshkian, warned the President about the concept of national accord, emphasizing that it should encompass all branches of government, not just a small sector. He stressed that Pezeshkian must engage with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Majles, the Judiciary, the IRGC, the Ministry of Intelligence, and other key institutions to address the country’s challenges effectively.

In an interview with Fararu, Karbaschi also reminded that Pezeshkian has not done anything so far to stand by his promise to provide easy access to the Internet and social media. Furthermore, he said that the current situation of the Internet in Iran is a torture for citizens.

Fararu, in its own interpretation of the issue, noted that Iranian society is weary of the current situation, and some politicians believe that Pezeshkian’s proposal for national accord is an attempt to address the challenges he has pledged to resolve.

In still another development, the former head of Iran's state TV and a brother of former President Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, Mohammad Hashemi told reportersthat the meaning of national accord has been already distorted by those who do not want the idea to take hold.

Hashemi, a founding member of the centrist Executives of Construction Party, remarked that some politicians are deliberately ignoring both the problems and the idea of national accord as a solution. He stated, "Iran, with over 88 million people, has a rich diversity of cultural, social, political, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. It's unrealistic for the government to satisfy every one of those 88 million citizens, and both the government and its President must recognize this."

He observed, "The President likely understands this, which is why he has referred to national accord as a 'super project.'" He explained that national accord aims to engage all Iranians in political, social, and economic activities. Hashemi also quoted Pezeshkian, who recently said, "If we exclude individuals based on their past stances, we'll find that no one can be deemed entirely innocent."

While Hashemi acknowledged that Pezeshkian seems to grasp the concept of national accord, he stressed the urgency of the nation’s problems and remarked, "Pezeshkian should at least outline what steps are needed to achieve this super project and how much time it will take."