Escalation of Economic Crisis in the Islamic Republic; Letter from 8 Student Basij Organizations to Mokhber: If You Are Not 'Accountable', Resign

Following the escalation of the economic crisis in Iran and the failure of the Islamic Republic government to address it, some institutions close to the regime, including 8 'Basij Student' organizations, have demanded that First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber resign if he is not 'accountable'. According to domestic media reports, the letter addressed to Mokhber states: 'Today, for the third and last time, we invite you to be accountable and transparent regarding the government's economic programs and your two-year performance.' These Basij student organizations, which are structurally dependent on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), mentioned in their letter: 'The Islamic Republic government is a place of action, and the university is a place of inquiry; if the First Vice President and also the commander of the government's economic team do not consider themselves accountable to academics after two years of controversial performance and decisions, they must submit their resignation to the people of Iran.' Since the beginning of Ebrahim Raisi's government, Mokhber has consistently promised to quickly resolve significant economic challenges facing society, including inflation, rising prices, and shortages of certain goods. On September 4, 2022, marking the anniversary of Raisi's government, the First Vice President claimed that 'prices will decrease,' asserting that 'we have been suffering from inflation, budget imbalance, and bank imbalances for over 50 to 60 years, but we are working to reach a good point and reform and adjust the budget structure,' thus we have initiated significant efforts for 'economic growth, production, and employment.' In part of the letter from the 8 Basij student organizations to Mokhber, referring to the 'current disorder in the executive branch,' it emphasized: 'Unfortunately, the current policies and inconsistencies narrate the opposite of this desired situation, and now it is time to transparently share with public opinion everything that has been done and is being done.' Mokhber, a figure close to the office of Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, is not only the First Vice President of Ebrahim Raisi but also a real member of the 'Expediency Discernment Council.' Before the start of the thirteenth government of the Islamic Republic, he was the head of the 'Executive Headquarters of Imam's Command,' one of the large and opaque cartels of the Iranian government. Many influential individuals in Raisi's government, including Seyed Reza Fatemi Amin, the Minister of Industry, Mine, and Trade, who was recently questioned in Parliament, are among those who have collaborated with Mokhber in the 'Executive Headquarters of Imam's Command' and its subsidiaries over the past decade.