Iranian president-elect appoints former foreign minister as head of the strategic council

Shafaq News/ Iran's President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian issued his first presidential decree on Friday, appointing former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as head of the Strategic Council for the transition period of the new government.

In a statement published by Erem News, Zarif announced the appointment of five individuals as members of the council's special committees. The primary task of this council is to select candidates for ministerial and governmental positions in Pezeshkian's administration.

During a press conference, Zarif clarified that no candidates have been reviewed for any positions, including the first vice president of Iran. He also denied rumors suggesting that former reformist president Mohammad Khatami exerted pressure on the selection process.

Zarif revealed that a meeting of the committee heads of the new government's strategic council is scheduled for Saturday to outline the tasks for selecting candidates. He stressed that the review process for candidates has not yet begun but will be completed by the end of July.

Earlier this week, media reports said the Policy-Making Council for Pezeshkian's government had been formed, chaired by Mohammad Reza Aref and including Mohammad Javad Zarif and four others, according to officials close to the reformists.