Something strange is happening with the presence of the Iranian regime’s new government, which has become a collection of the regime’s most vicious elements, from its new president Ebrahim Raisi, who is infamous as the butcher of Tehran, to the new appointments of the new ministers, who are mostly chosen from the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).
Everything is kept behind closed doors
The number of secret sessions held by the 11th parliament is steadily growing. Everything is kept behind closed doors, from the budget to foreign policy to steel pricing.
And all of this takes place in a parliament that has claimed from the start that it will be transparent and fight government corruption. The situation has deteriorated to the point where even the regime’s MPs have spoken out against it.
According to Article 69 of the regime’s constitution, parliamentary negotiations should be open to the public, and the full report should be broadcast through official media. Only in an emergency, when the country’s security is threatened, will a closed session be held at the request of the President, one of the ministers, or ten representatives.
Closed-door meeting about next year’s budget
However, it appears that the circle of covert meetings is constantly increasing these days. A closed-door meeting about next year’s budget was held last week with the chairman of the Planning and Budget Organization. MPs from the Regime eventually delivered a report on the contents of the closed-door meeting, but it was unclear why the budget meeting was held in secret in the first place.
Simultaneously, one of the MPs reported a 50% budget shortfall, which is likely one of the reasons for the secret meeting, reflecting the regime’s dire predicament.
Parliament held two secret sessions during the vote of confidence in the cabinet, one before the closed-door vote of confidence and one while studying Elias Naderan’s assertions regarding some financial difficulties raised concerning Javad Oji, the Oil Ministry option, where parliament convened a brief closed session.
The closed-door meeting with Esmail Qaani
In an open meeting of the vote of confidence, Naderan stated that “based on the inquiry I received from the competent authorities, it became clear that Oji had nine (private) possessions,” and that “one should think about someone who says so explicitly the opposite.” A closed-door meeting was held to investigate Naderan’s charges, at the request of the 11th Parliamentarians.
Following the events in Afghanistan and the Taliban’s ascension to power, Parliament convened a closed-door meeting with Esmail Qaani, the head of the IRGC Qods Force. The plan to defend users’ rights in cyberspace was also discussed behind closed doors, with a vote to withdraw the plan from Article 85. The plan was not voted on a second time in open session. As a result, the Joint Commission’s plan to defend users’ rights in cyberspace, based on Article 85, would be adopted and executed in secrecy.
The non-publication of the authorities’ property
The approval of the Parliamentary Judiciary Commission on the non-publication of the authorities’ property was the last one, which was about the need for confidentiality, which has reflected itself in the parliament’s resolutions.
Since the regime is dealing with a precarious security position, it is required to conceal its flaws from others, particularly the public. The regime recognizes that huge protests, like those in November 2019, will occur sooner or later, thus it is futilely attempting to postpone such events.
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