Opposition Clerics Gather in Malayer to Protest 'Unconventional Appointments'

Reports indicate that a gathering of clerics and seminary students took place against Hassan Rouhani's government in the city of Malayer. The protesting students accuse the provincial officials of Hamadan of ignoring the opinions and consultations of Ayatollah Khamenei's representatives in the IRGC and the province regarding the appointment of managers. This protest occurs a day after a sit-in by a group of clerics in protest against the failure to dismiss the governor of South Khorasan peaked on Friday, with Friday prayer leaders refusing to lead prayers. The local website 'Malayeris' reported on Saturday, March 11, about a gathering of clerics protesting the change of the president of Malayer University in front of the governor's office. According to this local media, the protesters chanted slogans such as 'Death to the seditionist', 'Seditionist, have some shame, leave Malayer', 'Government of hope and prudence, insight, insight', and 'Incompetent officials must be dismissed'. Ehsan Torkashvand, head of the Islamic Studies group at Malayer University, stated that the aim of this gathering was to protest against 'unconventional appointments' without consulting the leader's representative in the IRGC. Mr. Torkashvand added that the protesters are also objecting to the provincial officials' failure to consult with the city’s Friday prayer leader regarding managerial changes. At the end of this gathering, a statement was issued warning about 'appointments and dismissals that smell of political maneuvering'. Images published on local websites show a group of clerics and protesters holding placards with slogans like 'Death to the seditionist' and 'Seditionist entry prohibited'. Ahmad Azadikhah, the representative of Malayer in the parliament, also issued a statement on Saturday protesting the change of the president of Malayer University, stating that 'the recent hasty and rushed changes smell of political motives'. Mohammad Baqer Barghari, the Friday prayer leader of Malayer, said in his sermon the previous day: 'I do not think this massive volume of changes is for improving the current situation; it smells of political maneuvering.' Mr. Barghari added that contrary to the statements of the Hamadan governor, he was not consulted about the changes in management. The appointment of Manouchehr Babaei-Pour as the head of Malayer University by Mohammad Farhadi, the Minister of Science, Research, and Technology, has reportedly faced protests from a group of students at this university. Bahman Hayati, the former president of Malayer University, was appointed as the head of this university in November 2014 by Mohammad Ali Najafi, the caretaker of the Ministry of Science, and the Kayhan newspaper implicitly deemed this appointment 'illegal'. However, Fars news agency reported that the protesters against Hayati's change claim that his replacement, Babaei-Pour, was active during the protests against the results of the 2009 presidential election and was among the 'seditionists'.