In an interview with Amordad, Faramarz Pourrostami clarified that the election date does not signify the beginning of a new term.
Following the publication of a report on the Amordad website regarding the general assembly elections for the 46th term of the Tehran Zoroastrian Association—where Afshin Namiranian, the association’s president, had shared figures related to previous elections—Amordad reached out to Faramarz Pourrostami, spokesperson for the 45th term, to address any ambiguities regarding the election timeline and the transition period.
Explaining the significance of these figures, Pourrostami stated:
“During the Q&A session on Friday, it was announced that the elections for the 46th term would take place six months and four days before the conclusion of the 45th term. When we refer to the number of months remaining until the election, it does not mean the new term has begun. Rather, it marks the expiration of the operational permit issued by the Ministry of Interior for the current term.
For example, in the 41st term, elections were held five months and three days before the official start of that term. This means the elections took place five months and three days before the expiration of the 40th term’s permit, not that the 41st term had commenced. The same pattern applies to subsequent terms:
In the 42nd term, elections were conducted five months and 14 days before the 41st term’s permit expired.
In the 43rd term, elections took place two months and 17 days before the expiration of the 42nd term’s permit.
In the 44th term, elections were held six months and four days before the 43rd term’s permit ended.
In the 45th term, elections were conducted 16 days before the 44th term’s permit expired.
Pourrostami further noted that the elections for the 46th term will also be held six months and four days before the completion of the 45th term’s three-year period. As previously stated, the elections are scheduled for Ordibehesht 1404 (April–May 2025).”
Faramarz Pourrostami, spokesperson for the 45th term, highlighted an essential aspect of the election process, explaining that it consists of two main phases. The first phase is the voting process, where eligible members of the association or institution cast their ballots on the designated election day. Once the votes are counted, the required number of board members and alternates is determined.
However, this is only one part of the process. Following the election, a report is submitted by the election committee to the Ministry of Interior and the Article 10 Commission. These authorities then conduct the necessary assessments to either approve or reject the elected candidates. Their decision is finalized in an official permit, signed by the Minister of Interior, and issued to the respective association or institution.
Pourrostami emphasized that the time required for this approval process is not within the control of the associations. While the legal timeframe for issuing the permit is believed to be around one month, past experience has shown that the process often extends beyond that—especially if major national elections, such as parliamentary elections, are taking place at the same time. Given the workload of the Ministry of Interior and the Article 10 Commission, the approval of smaller associations’ elections may be delayed.
If this delay extends beyond the expiration of the current term’s permit, a transitional period known as “fetrat” begins. This period continues until the Ministry of Interior officially issues and announces the new permit.
To reduce or eliminate the risk of such delays, the 45th term has decided to hold the election six months before its official end. The aim is to allow enough time for the Ministry of Interior and the Article 10 Commission to complete the necessary formalities, ensuring that the 46th term’s permit is issued on time. This would allow the newly elected board members to begin their duties without interruption.
