Mayor of Yazd City Council: I Will Not Execute the Order to Dismiss Spenta Niknam

The head of the Yazd City Council emphasized that he will not comply with the Administrative Justice Court's ruling regarding the dismissal of Spenta Niknam, a Zoroastrian member of the council, and considers this ruling contrary to freedom and religiosity. The Administrative Justice Court, citing the opinion of Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, Secretary of the Guardian Council, which prohibits the membership of religious minorities in city and village councils, ruled for the dismissal of Mr. Niknam from the Yazd City Council. However, on Wednesday, October 11, a video was released on social media showing Gholamali Sefid, the head of the Yazd City Council, stating that such a ruling is neither justifiable for him nor can it justify the people. He referred to Spenta Niknam's membership in the previous term of the Yazd City Council, stating: 'We need to be justified and be able to justify to the people. A person has been a member of the council and has worked for four years, and this issue was not contrary to Sharia, but suddenly his presence this term becomes contrary to Sharia. Suddenly the rules and foundations of decision-making change.' Mr. Sefid further stated to other members of the Yazd City Council: 'I announce that I will not be the executor of this directive. Whenever [the execution of this ruling] is finalized, one of you will become the head of the council and you can carry it out. This ruling is not compatible with my reason, my religion, and what I understand about religiosity and freedom.' The exact timing of Gholamali Sefid's speech in this video is unclear, but he made these remarks at the Yazd City Council in his capacity as council president. Mr. Sefid, who has previously served as the governor of Yazd, has also warned about the 'internal and external political consequences' of this ruling and emphasized that he will try to prevent its implementation. The temporary suspension ruling for Spenta Niknam was announced on October 8, and he is currently on a mandatory 15-day leave. Previously, Ali Motahari, the Deputy Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, also described the Administrative Justice Court's ruling as 'illegal.' Meanwhile, Esfandiar Bakhtiari, the representative of Zoroastrians in the parliament, has protested the Administrative Justice Court's ruling, stating that Spenta Niknam was elected and should be reinstated in his position. In this context, the suspension of the Zoroastrian council member's activity in the parliament is being 'pursued.' The temporary suspension ruling of the Zoroastrian council member has been 'communicated.' 'Unofficial apartheid' in the Islamic Republic. The Zoroastrian representative stated: 'Now, beyond Niknam, the right of an Iranian is at stake.' The 'legitimacy or illegitimacy' of electing a Sunni governor in Iran. The changing battlefield of 'proxy wars'; a war against the people in the streets of Iran. The first paragraph; the responsibility of opponents and the possibility of radicalizing Iranian society. The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iran crisis. 1300 hours of internet outages; Witkoff: A horrific massacre occurred during the protests in Iran.