Accusation from Khamenei's Representative Against Rouhani: They Deliberately Avoid Implementing the Cultural Engineering Plan

The head of Ali Khamenei's representative office in Iranian universities accused Hassan Rouhani's government of deliberately refraining from implementing the 'Cultural Engineering Plan of the country.' Mohammad Mohammadian, the head of the representative office of the Supreme Leader, stated in an interview with the 'Tasnim' news agency on Saturday, October 1, that 'My impression is that there is a deliberate intention within the government to prevent the Cultural Engineering Plan from being executed.' Mr. Mohammadian criticized the delegation of the responsibility for implementing this plan to the First Vice President, noting that more than 18 months have passed since this delegation, and no meeting has been held on the matter. He added, 'This is a pain that we express everywhere. A plan that has been worked on so hard and is, more importantly, a priority for the country, has been left to its own devices.' This member of the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council mentioned that several reminders have been given about this issue in the council, but some were 'upset that we are pursuing this matter.' According to Mr. Mohammadian, the government currently controls at least 50% of cultural institutions, and 'if the government does not come along this path, it is of no use.' The development of the Cultural Engineering Plan began in the early 2000s at the request of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council and was completed in 2012. A group of conservatives has named Hassan Rouhani's government as one of the critics of this cultural plan, with Gholamali Haddad Adel stating that 'the government has viewed the cultural engineering resolution critically.' Mohammad Mohammadian also mentioned that the government has 'opinions' regarding this plan that have not yet been presented to the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council. In this context, Tasnim news agency reported in May 2014, without naming the government and its officials, that some critics say 'the authors of this document should be prosecuted.' The Cultural Engineering Plan has several overarching goals: countering 'cultural invasion,' changing the lifestyle of the Iranian people, and strengthening religious and cultural foundations in Iranian society. The authors of this plan are still waiting for its announcement and implementation by the eleventh government. Ali Khamenei, on October 18, 2014, in a decree on the occasion of the new term of the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council, reiterated the importance of 'cultural engineering' and what he called 'the transformation of human sciences,' calling for continued fundamental changes in the field of 'human sciences.' In recent years, the Supreme Leader has repeatedly warned about changing the lifestyle of the Iranian people, identifying one of the areas and grounds for these changes as 'human sciences' taught in schools and universities. Since 2009, Mr. Khamenei has called for a transformation in the curricula of human sciences in educational institutions.