Iran’s State Media Reflects Pezeshkian Administration’s Failures in First 100 Days

Staff WriterNovember 17, 2024
Iran’s State Media Reflects Pezeshkian Administration’s Failures in First 100 Days
The tightly controlled Iranian state media, often regarded as mouthpieces

Written by
Mansoureh Galestan

The tightly controlled Iranian state media, often regarded as mouthpieces of the regime, have unexpectedly exposed glaring failures of the Pezeshkian administration in its first 100 days. These admissions, couched in guarded criticism, paint a grim picture of stagnation, mismanagement, and unfulfilled promises, revealing a government more concerned with preserving the regime’s grip on power than addressing the mounting crises.

Economic mismanagement has been at the forefront of criticism. According to Hamshahri Online (November 14, 2023), the Pezeshkian administration has presided over the sharpest decline in the value of the rial in the early days of any administration since the revolution. “The free-market dollar rate surged from 59,100 to 69,500 rials—a staggering 17% depreciation,” the outlet reported.

Critics have also highlighted the government’s lack of substantive action. Kamran Nadri, an economist, stated in Ham-Mihan: “Aside from budget discussions and attempts to increase the NIMA exchange rate to bring it closer to the free-market rate, no substantial actions have been taken. The market dollar rate continues to climb, maintaining the gap, while the budget itself has only just been submitted to parliament and remains unfinalized.”

Similarly, the state-run Tabnak (November 13, 2023) highlighted the administration’s failure to address core issues, stating, “Although the government has made small but significant steps in areas like diplomacy and social justice, these steps do not align with its promises. Many significant and deep issues persist in the economy and the livelihood problems of the people.”

On internet censorship, Tabnak criticized the administration for failing to act on promises to reverse filtering. Despite repeated assurances, the outlet noted, “no action has been taken,” leaving only “vague promises and pleas for patience.”

Shargh Daily raised doubts about Pezeshkian’s calls for “national unity,” questioning the tangible outcomes of such rhetoric. The paper observed that the appointment of governors who previously opposed the president “raises doubts about whether this is genuine unity or merely political theatrics.”

The administration’s endorsement of the “Hijab and Modesty Law” in October also drew criticism for exacerbating tensions. Shargh remarked that rather than calming societal divisions, the law had “undermined the administration’s claims of inclusivity,” intensifying public discontent.

 

Mashregh News raised concerns about the administration’s effectiveness during its first 100 days, questioning whether it could address “the main problems of the people,” particularly in managing key economic challenges. The outlet criticized the reliance on symbolic gestures rather than substantive reforms.

Jahan News echoed this sentiment, describing the administration’s approach as superficial. It highlighted minor initiatives, such as wage increases for nurses, as inadequate responses to systemic issues. These actions, the outlet claimed, amounted to “temporary band-aids on systemic problems that continue to fester.”

Ham-Mihan expressed alarm at rising public dissatisfaction, warning that without a coherent strategy to tackle inflation, unemployment, and discontent, the administration “risks eroding its already fragile legitimacy.”

 

Jame Jam Daily argued that the administration is more preoccupied with maintaining regime stability than enacting meaningful reforms. The paper described its approach as a strategy to “buy time,” with decisions “calibrated to avoid flashpoints, not solve problems.”

The consequences of the Pezeshkian administration’s inaction are becoming glaringly apparent, with inflation, unemployment, and inequality spiraling out of control, fueling deep-seated frustration among the Iranian people. The first 100 days of this government have starkly revealed its failure to address the country’s most urgent crises, leaving the regime more vulnerable than ever. Even state-controlled media, typically used to reinforce the regime’s narrative, have begun to acknowledge the growing cracks in its foundations.

As the fifth anniversary of the 2019 uprising looms, the regime finds itself in an even more precarious situation, with far fewer resources to suppress dissent and an increasingly restless populace. The hardships faced by Iranians have only multiplied, and with public trust at an all-time low, the grievances that fueled the 2019 protests now resonate even louder. The people of Iran have many more reasons to rise up once again, posing an existential challenge to a regime that appears more focused on its survival than on resolving the deep crises it faces.

Staff WriterNovember 17, 2024
Arab-Islamic Committee in Defence of Ashraf
Back to top button