Confession of a Member of the Combatant Clergy Society: Public Satisfaction is Low

The Secretary of the Supreme Council of the Combatant Clergy Society believes that one must be realistic and accept that public satisfaction among the people is currently low, and the government plays a very important role in this regard. Mostafa Pourmohammadi explained the current situation in Iran to the newspaper Javan, affiliated with the IRGC, stating that the government's role in public trust is significant since most of the country's affairs are in the hands of the government. The issue of public trust was previously raised by the Mehr news agency, affiliated with the Islamic Propagation Organization, during the peak of nationwide protests over the killing of Mahsa Amini, stating that "Iranian society today suffers from numerous problems, including a declining trend in political trust and consequently a decrease in social capital." According to the writer of the Mehr news agency, this phenomenon is the result of long-term trends and a historical process that dates back to the existence of the government in Iran. This article referenced factors such as the depreciation of the national currency, unprecedented inflation, and the exponential rise in the prices of essential goods, which have led to disorder in the country's economic and bureaucratic structure and, in a sense, inefficiency in the governance model. Pourmohammadi also emphasized that economic and livelihood problems have become "very distressing," and people do not feel hopeful or satisfied due to the numerous promises made. The former Minister of Justice stated regarding public trust, "If we implemented the law and problems increased, we need to reconsider." He added that if current approaches have failed to attract the younger generation, we should not solely blame others and enemies. In recent years, one of the damaging laws that has led to conflict between the people and the government is the issue of hijab. Following the nationwide protests of 2022, Azar Mansouri, Secretary General of the National Unity Party, wrote in the newspaper Etemad: "The regime should release detainees to increase its legitimacy and reconcile with the people." Mansouri emphasized that any step towards meeting the people's demands means reconciliation with them, and "based on this reasoning, I suggest to the authorities to clearly and without regard to the uproar of foreign opponents, abolish the mandatory hijab law and dismantle the patrols that undoubtedly cause destruction." Mansouri wrote that detainees should be released and reconciliation with the people should occur. This reconciliation could be "the prelude to a national dialogue." He stated that "this is a sign of the strength of a popular government, not weakness." Pourmohammadi also stressed that the priority for "principlists" is high participation in elections, rather than entering power with low participation, saying: "Even if they appear to have lost, we do not consider this a defeat." He noted that political movements create burdens for themselves and others since they do not lead anywhere, raising the costs of political work. It is worth noting that Pourmohammadi is a member of the so-called "Death Committee," which was responsible for executing thousands of political prisoners in the late 1980s. Another member of this committee, Ebrahim Raisi, currently holds the presidency of the Islamic Republic.