Warning to the Minister of Interior
The Minister of Interior is preparing to introduce his proposed candidate for the governorship of Isfahan and to gain the cabinet’s vote for the new governor. The mention of Mehdi Jamalinejad’s name and the support of Isfahan’s hardliner representatives for him have raised concerns among reformist and moderate political activists in the province. Some conservative media, in an interview with Amirhossein Bankipour, the controversial and hardline representative of Isfahan in the parliament, announced that Jamalinejad has a higher chance of becoming the governor of Isfahan compared to other candidates. He introduced Eshtari as the first choice and Jamalinejad as the second, but considered Jamalinejad’s chances to be higher.
However, the news of one of the members of the Stability Front being appointed as the governor of Isfahan has faced negative reactions from moderate and reformist political activists in Isfahan. This news comes as Eskandar Momeni, the Minister of Interior, has appointed Jamalinejad as the head of the Organization of Municipalities and Villages by decree, and many see this action by the Isfahan representative as an intrusion into the government’s executive domain, especially for an important province like Isfahan.
Stability Front members are pursuing Jamalinejad’s governorship
Bankipour, a member of the Stability Front who supported Saeed Jalili in the fourteenth presidential election to place a shadow government in the executive branch, is now seeking to choose the governor of Isfahan and is promoting his candidate, Mehdi Jamalinejad, in the media to prepare public opinion for his presence in Isfahan. Bankipour introduced himself to the community as one of the designers of the Hijab and Chastity Bill. He was among the first to address the details of the Hijab and Chastity Bill, and his controversial comments about hijab fines met with many reactions, including from Masoud Pezeshkian.
At that time, in Esfand 1402, Pezeshkian reacted to this issue, stating that as a result, people become concerned about Bankipour and his ideas. He mentioned that while Bankipour’s words might be true, the way he speaks and his solutions are impractical and impossible. Now, the person who, according to Pezeshkian, causes concern among people with his manner of speaking is set to confront the government, forcing the president to accept Jamalinejad as governor.
Who is Jamalinejad?
Mehdi Jamalinejad was elected as the mayor of Isfahan on June 21, 2015, and his decree was signed and issued in July. Before this, he held positions such as Deputy of Urban Affairs of Isfahan Province, Deputy of Coordination of Regions and Municipal Organizations of Isfahan, Director General of Urban and Council Affairs of Isfahan Province, Advisor and Director General of the Governor’s Office of Isfahan, and Urban Advisor to the Governor of Isfahan. In early September 2016, he became the mayor of Yazd, and in Mehr of the following year, 2017, he resigned, which was accepted by the Yazd City Council.
He also chaired the Environmental and Sustainable Development Working Group of Isfahan Province, the Tourism and Cultural Heritage Working Group of Isfahan Province, the Infrastructure and Urban Development Working Group of Isfahan Province, the Article 21 Commission on the Transfer and Revival of State Lands, and the Working Group for the Qualification of Legal Experts of Executive Agencies in Isfahan Province. Due to his presence in various positions in Isfahan, some experts believe he has tested his fortune in this city.
Reactions to Jamalinejad’s Governorship
Payam Barazjani, a media activist, wrote on his X page: ‘Mr. Pezeshkian and Aref, the children of Isfahan are constantly calling to convey their concerns about the appointment of the Stability Front’s candidate as governor. This news will be a major blow to the voting body in Isfahan and will cause despair among reformist and moderate political activists regarding your idea of unity. The experiences of predecessors are before you.’
Sajjad Adi, the editor of the political-social satire, also wrote about this: ‘Having candidates close to Saeed Jalili in the governorship of Isfahan is not called unity; it is hypocrisy. As an Isfahani citizen, I openly say I’m worried, worried. Mr. Pezeshkian, Mohammad Mohajeri, a conservative activist, also emphasized that it seems in several provinces, including Isfahan, contrary to the Supreme Leader’s guidance on non-interference of the parliament in appointments, the Stability Front’s representative is placing their governors. Appointing individuals close to this organization is not called unity; it is folly.’
Avoiding Reappointment of Repetitive Individuals
Minoo Khaleghi, a political activist and lawyer, explained and emphasized that the conditions in Isfahan have become more critical in recent years. This province faces a range of crises such as dust storms, air pollution, high fuel oil consumption, land subsidence, soil erosion, the establishment of water-intensive industries, the drying of Zayandeh Rud and Gavkhuni Wetland, and dust contaminated with heavy metals, which have created extensive environmental problems in this province and have effectively left a large number of farmers unemployed, and unfortunately, the livability in this province has severely decreased in quality. Additionally, major projects like the Isfahan-Tehran high-speed train have been stalled due to a lack of strong management in the province and consequently poor decisions by the Ministry of Roads, making the presence of an efficient national figure who aligns with the government’s discourse in Isfahan necessary.
She added that all these issues indicate that Isfahan’s governorship needs fresh air. Those who have previously been governor, mayor, or county governor of Isfahan have implemented whatever ideas they had during their tenure. That’s why we say it’s better for these individuals to forgo these positions and let new forces with fresh thinking and the ability to make decisions and negotiate at a national level come into play, someone who can provide solutions to the province’s issues. Note that Isfahan’s crises have not changed much over the years. Those who have been in these positions, whether in the municipality or the governorship, have not previously offered a solution, which is why the problems still persist. Why test the tested again? Furthermore, Mr. Momeni, the Minister of Interior, also emphasized in a television interview that if someone has previously been a governor in a province, their management should not be repeated in the same province. The Minister’s statement must be adhered to in order to witness positive changes.
This reformist political activist, pointing to the hope that arose with the change of government, said that now that Mr. Pezeshkian’s government is in charge, if the forces and representatives of the Stability Front want to determine the fate of Isfahan and appoint its governor, what hope remains for the other supporters of Pezeshkian and the moderates? What hope remains when one of the authors and spokespersons of the Hijab and Chastity Bill, which has caused numerous and divisive problems in the country, leads the appointment of Isfahan’s governor? Under these conditions, the hope of a large number of the city’s people and Pezeshkian’s supporters will vanish, and they will become isolated, not stepping into the election arena for another four years. Isfahan needs a governor committed to Pezeshkian’s policies to create a national unity discourse in this province, especially since the governor of Isfahan should not be from the previous forces but should be an efficient and fresh force.
Khaleghi emphasized that if the Stability Front’s candidate becomes the governor of Isfahan, the 38% who voted for Pezeshkian will decrease. At that time, neither I nor others like me will have a reason to encourage people to come to the ballot box. On the other hand, the Leader has emphasized that it is good for representatives not to interfere in appointments; however, unfortunately, in the selection of the governor of Isfahan, the most attention has so far been directed towards the desires of the representatives, and this approach is contrary to the Leader’s guidance. Under these circumstances, and currently, someone should become the governor in Isfahan who seeks to increase unity so that Pezeshkian’s vote in Isfahan can be defended and those who have boycotted the ballot box can be encouraged in the upcoming elections.
Coordination Yes, Imposition of Representatives’ Opinions No
Some believe that the country and provinces are not barracks, and the people are not soldiers to follow government orders. Mahmoud Hosseini, the governor of Isfahan in the government of Seyed Mohammad Khatami, is among these individuals. Regarding the introduction of Jamalinejad by the Stability Front, he told Ham-Mihan that this criticism is valid: why should the assembly of representatives decide on the governor’s selection for the Ministry of Interior?
He pointed out that representatives should not determine the governor for several reasons: first, due to the constitutional prohibition and separation of powers; second, if representatives determine the governor, the governor becomes indebted to them and must comply with their orders and commands, which is not good for the government; and third, this kind of policymaking leads to a dead end because the governor must be the first person in the province and align with the government’s policies and the president’s discourse to follow and implement government policies. People, especially those who voted for Pezeshkian, want change. Even a significant portion of those who did not participate in the elections expect change and transformation. If the governor of Isfahan is to maintain the status quo, people, especially Pezeshkian’s social base and voting body, will become disillusioned, and thus they will distance themselves from the government, creating a vacuum that cannot be easily filled.
Hosseini emphasized that aligning the governor with representatives is a commendable principle. Unfortunately, the current method of the Ministry of Interior’s political deputy is to ensure that representatives’ opinions are implemented, which is a major policy mistake. The government will face significant dissatisfaction in the provinces after six months or a year. The Ministry of Interior should reconsider this policy of implementing representatives’ views in selecting governors and county governors. Coordination is very different from imposing representatives’ opinions in choosing a governor.
The governor of Isfahan in the reformist government said that the province of Isfahan currently has many problems, and the water crisis and the drying of Zayandeh Rud continue in Isfahan and are even intensifying. Issues such as land subsidence, migration from villages to the outskirts of large cities, income inequality, and class disparity have made Isfahan prone to urban protests. Additionally, dissatisfaction in this province is very high, so a capable, experienced, and development-oriented individual must be chosen as the governor of Isfahan.
If an individual has good experience, they should be used, but overall, public satisfaction must be considered. They cannot say we decree, and people must comply. The governor of Isfahan should be charismatic and able to create a bond between the people and the government, and on the other hand, pursue the people’s demands from the government. Furthermore, the governor of Isfahan should be a comprehensive individual who can implement the correct policies, especially the justice and unity policies that Pezeshkian raised in the elections.