Iranian Mayors Subject to Ban on Employing Retirees

The Legal Deputy of the Iranian President announced that the ban on employing retirees includes mayors, including the mayor of Tehran. Previously, some members of the city council and municipal officials had stated that this law did not apply to the mayor of Tehran. According to the IRNA news agency, this body announced on Sunday, October 14, that municipalities are considered non-governmental public entities and are subject to this law. The Legal Deputy emphasized that the elected status of mayors does not exempt them from this law. Mohammad Ali Afshani, the mayor of Tehran, is among the retired mayors who must step down under this new interpretation, and a new mayor will be appointed in his place. Meanwhile, Ali E'ta, the spokesperson for the Tehran City Council, indicated that some representatives might propose an urgent plan to exempt the mayor of Tehran from this law. Majid Farahani, a member of the Tehran City Council, mentioned that the Minister of Interior intends to submit an interpretation to the parliament, and parliament representatives stated that it would be better for the interpretation to apply to all mayors of metropolitan cities and not just the mayor of Tehran to avoid discrimination. The Islamic Consultative Assembly approved the amendment to the law prohibiting the employment of retirees in its public session on July 24. The Guardian Council also approved this plan on September 12, and then on September 15, it was communicated for implementation by Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Parliament. According to Clause 3 of this resolution, 'the relevant agencies are obliged to remove those individuals who have been employed contrary to the provisions of this law within sixty days from the date of notification of this law and settle accounts with them.' Previously, laws had been passed to prohibit the employment of retirees in government institutions, but some positions were exempted, including ministers, members of parliament, governors, deputy ministers, deputy governors, ambassadors, and managers of institutions under the Supreme Leader. However, according to the parliamentary law, governors, deputy ministers, and ambassadors are not exempt from this law, and the Legal Deputy of the Iranian President has announced that mayors are on par with positions that are not exempt from this law. However, the heads of the three branches, the first vice president, ministers, and vice presidents, and members of parliament remain exempt from this law. Mohammad Ali Afshani was elected as the mayor of Tehran on May 12 this year, about a month after the sudden resignation of Mohammad Ali Najafi, which made headlines. The reasons for Najafi's resignation included 'pressure from a security agency' and 'humiliating treatment by the prosecutor's office.' Najafi's resignation was accepted; the new caretaker is accused of 'financial corruption.' Motahari stated that Najafi was arrested disrespectfully while asleep. Twelve cases of violations during Qalibaf's mayoralty have been sent to the judiciary. '1,700 government managers' must resign with the implementation of the law prohibiting the employment of retirees. There is severe government repression and the danger of protests becoming 'underground.' What doctors and eyewitnesses recount about the injured in the protests. The limitations of relations between China and Iran have become apparent amid the protests.