Hardliners who lost control of the executive branch following the victory of reformist President Masoud Bezhkian have launched an early conflict with him before he is sworn in before parliament at the end of this month. These hardliners in the outgoing government have made hasty appointments and dismissals in the remaining days of their administration. In a message to acting President Mohammad Mekhber Dezfouli, Bezhkian requested that he refrain from "dismissals and appointments" of any manager or new employee until the new presidency is officially established.
Mohammad Sadegh Dastforushan, a member of Masoud Bezhkian's platform, reported that directors were dismissed due to their support for the elected president during the presidential elections. Dastforushan noted in a letter to Bezhkian, published in local media, that the executive director of the Airports and Aviation Authority, Reza Nakhjavani, ignored the directives of acting President Mohammad Mekhber Dezfouli regarding a ban on appointments and dismissals and removed directors who supported the elected president during the elections.
Iranian political analysts believe these actions indicate the onset of early conflicts sparked by the hardline faction in the outgoing government against the elected president representing the reformist bloc. The reformist movement is beginning to return to power and may form a government that includes members from the administrations of former Presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hassan Rouhani.
The conflict between the two factions is expected to escalate given the hardliners' control over parliament, which holds the authority to "grant confidence" to ministers proposed by Masoud Bezhkian. Analysts believe that last-minute appointments and dismissals aim to impose new arrangements before the formation of the upcoming government, enabling hardliners to negotiate with Bezhkian regarding the appointments he will make in ministries and government agencies.
An informed source stated, "The appointments and dismissals are led by the executive assistant to the president in the outgoing government, Mohsen Mansouri, who chaired the campaign office of hardline candidate Saeed Jalili, along with the current government’s chief of staff, Gholam Hossein Esmaili, and the acting president does not agree with them."
Elected President Masoud Bezhkian emphasized in his message to acting President Mohammad Mekhber Dezfouli: "Apart from routine procedures and ongoing payments, no new contracts should be concluded or implemented, nor any kind of commitments made in any form (including issuing binding administrative decisions), as well as dismissals and appointments of individuals or any kind of employment or hiring of new staff in any form."
Bezhkian added that in cases where it is unavoidable, any new case must be done with written permission from acting President Mohammad Mekhber. He stressed at the end of his message, "I must be informed of the decisions of the cabinet for the 13th government, which have financial implications and have not yet been communicated to me."
