Iran's Vice President for Parliamentary Affairs sacked for 'extravagant holiday'

IANS April 5, 2025 125 views

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has made a bold statement by removing Vice President Shahram Dabiri over an expensive South Pole trip during Persian New Year holidays. The decision underscores the government's commitment to maintaining public trust and demonstrating fiscal responsibility during challenging economic times. Pezeshkian emphasized that personal relationships cannot override the need for transparency and ethical conduct in public service. The move has been praised by government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani as a sign of principled leadership.

"His only criteria are efficacy, justice, honesty, and the public interest" - Fatemeh Mohajerani, Government Spokesperson
Tehran, April 5: Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday removed his Vice President for Parliamentary Affairs Shahram Dabiri over his extravagant trip to the South Pole during the Nowruz (Persian New Year) holidays.

Key Points

1

President prioritizes accountability over personal friendships

2

Extravagant official trips deemed unacceptable during economic hardship

3

Dabiri removed after South Pole holiday controversy

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Leadership signals strict ethical standards for government officials

In a communique issued to Dabiri, President Pezeshkian said that after reviewing a report on Dabiri’s trip, he had decided to remove the Vice President from his post, stressing the need for government officials to set a personal example, Iranian media reports said.

Given the many economic hardships faced by the public, extravagant trips by officials, even if covered by personal income, are "not defendable and justifiable and run contrary to a minimalist lifestyle expected of Iranian officials", he said.

"(Our) longtime friendship and your invaluable services at the Vice-Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs do not preclude prioritising adherence to honesty, justice, and the promises made to the people," the President added.

Dabiri, a physician, football administrator, and former Chairman of the Tabriz city council, was appointed to the post in August last year.

Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said that President Pezeshkian’s decision shows that "he has no pact of brotherhood with anyone, and his only criteria are efficacy, justice, honesty, and the public interest".

Reader Comments

M
Mohammad K.
Finally some accountability in government! 👏 When ordinary people are struggling with inflation, officials shouldn't be taking luxury vacations. The President made the right call here.
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Sara H.
I appreciate the principle behind this decision, but I wonder if it's being applied equally to all officials? The South Pole trip seems extreme, but what about other luxury travel we don't hear about?
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Ali R.
The timing during Nowruz makes this worse. While families were celebrating simply at home, this official was on an Antarctic adventure? Completely tone-deaf.
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Fatemeh N.
While I support accountability, I hope this wasn't just for show. The President needs to maintain this standard consistently, not just when media catches wind of something.
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Reza P.
South Pole vacation during economic crisis? That's next level entitlement. Maybe he should have spent that money helping people in his own country instead.
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Narges T.
Interesting that they mention it was personal income. Does that mean officials' salaries are high enough to afford Antarctic trips? That's another discussion we should be having...

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
Iran Politics Masoud Pezeshkian Shahram Dabiri Government Ethics Nowruz Holidays
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