Jahangiri Dismisses Golestan Governor

The First Vice President of Iran, Eshaq Jahangiri, has ordered the dismissal of Manaf Hashemi, the governor of Golestan. Hashemi's absence during the severe flooding crisis in Golestan province has faced widespread reactions and criticisms. According to reports from Iran, Eshaq Jahangiri stated during a visit to Golestan province at the Coordination Council meeting, "I do not accept that a manager responsible is not present in the field during the most difficult conditions." Currently, Hashemi's deputy has been appointed as the caretaker of Golestan province. Manaf Hashemi was abroad during the flooding in Golestan and returned to the province on Saturday, although his absence has drawn extensive criticism. Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the Minister of Interior, mentioned in an interview with Iran's news network that the governor had taken leave for personal and family matters and was abroad since a day before Nowruz. The Minister's remarks have led to criticisms about why such leave was approved. Hashemi himself refrained from explaining the reason for his trip in an interview with Khabar Online, stating, "It is not appropriate to discuss these matters now," while also claiming, "We took one or two days of leave." The former governor of Golestan defended his actions, stating that the recent crisis occurred because "the flood was five times the capacity of all the rivers in the province." The performance of the responsible agencies in assisting flood victims and the absence of provincial and national officials, which faced criticism from social media users, led to reports of officials' presence in the flooded cities and areas from Saturday evening. Several officials within the Islamic Republic government also criticized the absence of the key provincial authority during the flood, including the Secretary of the Government Information Council, who tweeted, "The absence of Mr. Manaf Hashemi remains an undeniable flaw." Eshaq Jahangiri arrived in Gorgan, the capital of Golestan province, on Saturday evening to visit the flood-affected areas and participate in the crisis management headquarters meeting. The announcement of Manaf Hashemi's dismissal was made during the Coordination Council meeting for crisis management in Golestan province. In the recent flooding in Golestan, Mazandaran, and North Khorasan provinces, several people have been killed and injured, and many citizens have been forced to leave their homes. At least two children are among the deceased in Golestan province. The state news agency IRNA quoted the head of the country's emergency services stating that "six people have been rescued." Pirhossein Kolivand mentioned on the morning of April 4 that "two camps have been established at the Golestan International Exhibition Center and the Hosseiniyeh Mohammadabad in Gorgan, and flood victims are being housed in this area." IRNA reported on Sunday morning that the people of Golestan province, especially in the counties of Gonbad Kavous, Aq Qala, and Gomišan, continue to face many problems.