Iranian media reported today, Friday, that elected Iranian President Masoud Bezhkishyan made his first official decision by appointing his campaign advisor and former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as head of the "Transitional Government Advisory Council for the Fourteenth Government." Zarif, in his capacity as head of the mentioned council, wrote on his "X" platform account: "Hello friends, please do not pay attention to rumors and news regarding the appointment of government members; the process has just begun."
The Transitional Advisory Council will nominate ministers and provide consultation to the elected president for selecting senior government members, who will then be presented to Parliament for a vote of confidence.
Regarding rumors of pressures from former president Khatami, Zarif strongly denied any such claims, stating: "These rumors are not consistent with the noble character of Khatami." He commented on speculation about the process of appointing members to Bezhkishyan's government, stating: "So far, no one has been nominated, including for the position of the first assistant to the president. The review process will begin after receiving suggestions from NGOs, scientific associations, professional associations, and the private sector."
Zarif added: "An invitation was sent yesterday, and I will meet with the heads of the committees tomorrow to understand the working mechanism. Next week, committee members will meet with Dr. Bezhkishyan to hear his government's priorities; thereafter, the process of candidate assessment will begin transparently, and, God willing, will conclude by the end of July. The council consists of working committees."
Zarif played a significant role in Bezhkishyan's election campaign, which concluded with his election as Iran's ninth president. Zarif had previously announced that he would not hold any position, with media sources stating that this decision was due to his knowledge of parliamentary opposition against him. However, he now leads the council that will play a crucial role in shaping the cabinet for the elected Iranian president.
Additionally, President Masoud Bezhkishyan had formed advisory working groups to select his government, which have joined Zarif's "Transitional Government Advisory Council." In this context, former member of the Expediency Discernment Council and reformist political activist Mohammad Hashami commented on the composition of the Fourteenth Iranian Government, stating to the Young Reporters' Club news agency: "Mr. Bezhkishyan has taken a different approach to forming the government, having established five working groups to shape the government and requested each team to nominate three suitable options for each ministry so he can select the best among them for the relevant ministry."
