Why doesn’t anyone resign?
Why doesn’t anyone resign, neither for the ‘Sismooni Gate’, nor for mismanagement, nor for misuse of public funds, nor for traveling, studying, and living of their children abroad, nor for anything else in this country? Not only does it not encourage any official to resign, but whenever even a rumor of it spreads, they strongly defend their position and seat.
In the latest case, Ansieh Khazali wrote on her Twitter account, referring to a news item published by a fake account in her name about her resignation after her son’s travel abroad became public, stating that such accounts are fake and do not belong to her.
Meanwhile, conservatives have recently been very sensitive about the issue of dual citizenship managers, the study, work, and migration of officials’ children abroad, and have politically and propagandistically maneuvered on it. Therefore, it was expected that now that it has been revealed that the child of one of the prominent figures in the conservative power structure is also afflicted with this issue, there would be clear reactions from within this movement. However, not only did this not happen, but the Vice President for Women and Family Affairs even denied the rumor of her resignation.
The case of Salva Keynejad
This is not the first time that the presence of officials’ children abroad has become a media issue. This matter is especially controversial and provoking reactions when it involves conservative figures who often speak against the West and its culture and lifestyle or hold positions in this field. Not long ago, different images of Salva Keynejad, the child of Mohammad Ali Keynejad, a member of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution at the time, along with her husband and child, were circulating on social media.
The reactions were so intense that Salva Keynejad had to close her Instagram account. The issue was that the images she shared of herself and her family had a significant distance from the concerns of the members and the spirit governing the resolutions of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution in terms of deepening and operationalizing Islamic culture.
The audience’s question was how they could impose something through resolutions and laws on others that they do not prefer for their own children, or at least have shown themselves incapable of raising their children with the lifestyle they advocate. Here too, Mr. Keynejad not only did not resign, but he did not even apologize and responded with a statement in a demanding manner.
Regarding my daughter Salva, I must acknowledge that despite the slander of ill-wishers, as a father, I am proud of my talented child for her academic achievements and many successes, and I appreciate her for the hardships she has endured due to my name and reputation.
Chasing Euros or Independence
Just recently, the controversial Secretary of the Headquarters for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Mohammad Saleh Hashemi Golpayegani, announced that 3 to 4 thousand children of middle managers have been abroad over the past years. He further stated that there is insistence on someone being in charge while their child is abroad. There is a competition among officials, meaning they cannot be pursuing Euros and dollars for their children while loudly declaring the country’s independence.
He pointed out that some of these managers are still active, and said, unfortunately, there is no law in this area. We were criticized that if a manager’s child is in another country, what does it have to do with the manager, and why should we be deprived of a capable manager?
Whether or not this manager remains in their position, the parliament must decide on this matter. We have sent a letter to the parliament on this issue, and actions have been taken in the parliament chamber, but no decisive action has yet been taken.
Power Lovers, Not Servants
Looking at the news shows that the culture of resignation in Iran resembles a pyramid from bottom to top and is mainly common among middle managers and ordinary employees. As positions move towards senior managers, ministers, and even the vice presidents or the president himself and even the heads of other branches, the number of resignations becomes fewer and fewer, to the point where at the top of the power pyramid, it tends towards zero.
But let’s return to the first question: why, when the scandal of a moral or managerial misconduct of a responsible official is revealed, is there no news of a resignation? Some say the absence of this culture is because others feel that if someone does this, it is out of weakness, not because they respect the public opinion.
Managers and officials not only remain in their positions but also lack the culture of apologizing to the people. When someone makes a mistake and stays in their position without apologizing, it has a very negative impact on public opinion.
A former parliament member said that those who unfortunately act this way appear to be with the system but do not practically believe in the system’s work. While in many foreign countries, when a problem like an air accident or train collision occurs, they apologize and step down, but here it is not like that. In our country, some are infatuated with posts and positions and want to obtain them at any cost and do not want to lose them.
There are other issues at work, for example, as long as they are in a position, they have good salaries and facilities, but when they leave that position, all those facilities are taken away from them, or the social status of individuals is tied to their post, and without a seat, they feel homeless. Well, in this case, it is obvious that an individual infatuated with power and maintaining their seat will remain at any cost.
Prudence Instead of Courage
They say resigning requires courage, and someone who wants to give up the benefits and position they have needs special courage and ability. For example, it has been said many times that when Khatami’s policies reached a dead end and he found himself practically unable to fulfill his promises to the people, he should have resigned, especially when his twin bills on increasing the president’s powers were returned by the parliament.
Or it was said that in the previous government, due to crises arising from wrong economic decisions, not only the head of the central bank but the government’s economic team should have resigned. But prudence was in staying and continuing to work. Prudence is so dominant that not only personal resignation but in none of the past terms, except once, has impeachment and a vote of no confidence in the presidents been deemed prudent.