Friday Prayers: Culture, economy and astronomical salaries

(Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attends Tehran's Friday prayers. Picture: Vahid Naderi/Fars)

This week, Friday prayers leaders across the country addressed economical state of Iran and the need for resistance economy, cultural aggression by the West and the 'failed' state of JCPOA, the nuclear deal.

In Kerman, southern Iran, Friday prayers' sermonizer Yahya Jafari warned the congregation about ceaseless plots of the enemy, the West, particularly the US, against Iran. Referring to the nuclear deal, Jafari reminded that while Iran has fulfilled its promises, "the evil US" has been seeking excuses to renege on its promises. In Hamedan, western Iran, Friday prayers' sermonizer addressed Washington's non-stopping threats to impose further sanctions against Iran after the nuclear deal. In Mashhad, the outspoken Ahmad Alamolhoda asked the government to follow the Supreme Leader's line now that the nuclear has failed, kick off the 'resistance economy' and rely on domestic capacities. "You said economic problems would be solved by a shift in foreign policy and détente," he said, addressing the government. "You shook hands with the meanest and most mischievous people [i.e. American diplomats], and you saw what happened to the JCPOA. At least change your course now and accept the words of the Supreme Leader."

In Gonbad-e Kavous, in the Caspian province of Golestan, Hojjatollah Ghorbani referred to the recent meeting between the Supreme Leader and the newly elected members of the parliament. "Besides legislation and overseeing the enforcement of law, the parliament should address economy and culture. The parliament … should stand against execessive demands of global imperialism." In Khorramabad, center of the western Lorestan Province, Friday prayers' sermonizer Ahmad Miremadi also expressed concern about the Western influence over Iran's culture. "The enemy has targeted us, from toys, to software, cosmetics and even our type of behavior" Miremadi said. "Even our houses are not built in an Islamic style." In Zanjan, northwestern Iran, Hojjatoleslam Khatami urged the Tenth Parliament to consider spread of Islamic culture, turn the economy resistant against sanctions, relieve economy from recession and stimulate business. Meanwhile in Mashhad, Ayatollah Alamolhoda called for the new MPs to follow the Supreme Leader's strategies in the parliament. "In Majles' committees, legislators should not follow out-of-date Western prescriptions or noxious doctrines of those experts who have returned from the West," he said. "They should implement the Supreme Leader's strategies. This is what people want."

In Tabriz, Ayatollah Mojtahed Shabestari, the permanent Friday prayers' leader of the city, addressed recent controversies over astronomical salaries paid to a number of senior officials in the civil service. "We strongly demand the General Inspection Office and the Tribunal of Administrative Justice to inspect the unacceptable fringe benefits and salaries" he added. In Arak, central Iran, Friday prayers' leader Ayatollah Dorri Najafabadi voiced similar concerns, asking the government, parliament, and supervisory bodies to earnestly pursue the case.