Favoritsm in the Islamic Republic is reaching such proportions that even pro-regime news outlets are beginning to notice.
Jahan News recently posted an article entitled 'The noteworthy presence of one family in the Saipa automobile company,' referring to the growing number of Ahmadinejad chief of staff Esfandiar Rahim Mashai's relatives in key positions at Saipa Corp.
'Despite the president's repeated admonishments and the positions he has taken concerning the aghazadeha (NB A term which literally means 'gentlemen's sons' and can be loosely translated as 'daddy's boys.' It refers to the children of regime figures who get rich through their connections.),' the article began, 'the appointments of several relatives of a government figure have come under question by the people, especially supporters of Dr. Ahmadinejad.'
Mashai, a close ally of the president, has been a favorite target of anti-Ahmadinejad Principlists (NB osoulgara), conservatives who seek a return to what they see as the founding principles of the Islamic Revolution. After stiff opposition to Mashai's possible appointment as First Vice President, some Principlists were enraged by Ahmadinajd's decision to name Mashai as his chief of staff. Ahmadinejad recently exhibited a similar devil-may-care determination, some would call it disdainful arrogance, when he appointed former Tehran Prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi to a government position after a Majlis report found Mortazavi responsible for the deaths of protesters at the Kahrizak detention center.
Mashai is particularly close to Ahmadinejad and his daughter is married to one of the president's sons, Mehdi, a civil engineer. Photos of the wedding were leaked last year in order to highlight the simple lifestyles of the president and Rahim Mashai. The only food that was served reportedly consisted of one banana, apple, and orange per guest. The women were in Rahim Mashai's residence, while the male guests were entertained in a neighbor's house.
Jahan news reported, 'Reza Rahim Mashai (NB Esfandiar's son) has been named managing director of Saipa's investment arm and [Mashai's nephew] has been appointed to Saipa's business development office.'
'Arash Kousha, Mashai's other nephew, was previously named the manager of Saipa soccer club,' Jahan News added.
Arash Kousha's appointment two months ago had already provoked an outcry, especially since he had previously filled a cushy position, with no connection to sports, as director of environmental tourism at the Cultural Heritage Organization when Mashai had run that state body. In the following state television interview on a sports program called '90' (NB the number of minutes in a soccer match), Kousha employed all sorts of equivocation in responding to the pointed questions of the young and able host Adel Ferdowsipour (a translation follows the video):
Host Adel Ferdowsipour:
Where did you work previously, Mr. Kousha?
Arash Kousha:
I was at the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization.
Host Adel Ferdowsipour:
You have some sports background too?
Arash Kousha:
Yes, I worked at Tehran City Hall's cultural and sports organization which handled some sports teams. (NB Esfandiar Rahim Mashai also headed this body at the time, when Ahmadinejad was mayor of Tehran.)
Host Adel Ferdowsipour:
By the way, I read somewhere today that you have some relation to Mr. Rahim Mashai... Is he your uncle?
Arash Kousha:
I might be related to many people...
Host Adel Ferdowsipour:
Yes, but is this claim true?
Arash Kousha:
In any case, there is some connection.
Host Adel Ferdowsipour:
A connection... Is he your uncle or not?
Arash Kousha:
No, he's not my uncle.
Host Adel Ferdowsipour:
Pardon?
Arash Kousha:
He's not my uncle.
Host Adel Ferdowsipour:
Is he related?
Arash Kousha:
Yes, there is some relation.
Host Adel Ferdowsipour:
All right. Thank you very much.
To be fair, Mashai's largesse has not been restricted to his family and relatives. As the newly-appointed head of the government's cultural committee which makes him the country's top cultural authority, a position which he holds alongside that of presidential chief of staff, he authorized a 200-million-touman (NB about $200,000) subsidy to movie actress Hadiyeh Tehrani so she could organize an exhibit of her photography at the Artists' House (NB Khaneyeh Honarmandan).
Mashai reportedly bought the most expensive photograph at the exhibit for 3.7 million toumans (about $3,700). The subsidy and subsequent purchase have stirred some resentment among Principlists, who wrote disparaging articles and posted the following caricature on their news outlets.
Hadiyeh means gift in Farsi.
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