In an extraordinary general assembly, members were elected to oversee the 46th term elections of the Board of Directors and the auditors for the 1404 fiscal year of the Tehran Zoroastrian Association.
Farhad Kaviani Gohari received 72 votes, Parivash Rashidi Sharifabadi 70 votes, Khodadad Namiri 68 votes, Arash Khodadad-Kouchaki 60 votes, and Mehran Keyhani 50 votes—forming the primary members of the Election Supervisory Board. Shervin Arghavani and Sepehr Bastani, with 39 and 38 votes respectively, were elected as alternate members. Behrouz Vafadari received 16 votes.
The assembly, held on Friday, 26 Ordibehesht 1404 (May 16, 2025), began at 12:17 PM. Its agenda included granting permission for candidates falling under Note 1 of Article 11 of the Association’s bylaws, and electing the supervisory board and financial auditors.
The session was chaired by the same presidium as the previous assembly: Mehrdad Kaviani (Chair), Faramarz Keshavarzi (Vice Chair), Behrouz Jamshidian (Observer), and Farhad Keshavarzi and Rostam Shahriari (Secretaries), who were reapproved by attendees to lead this session as well.
At the beginning of the session, Mehrdad Kaviani read the meeting agenda along with Note 1 of Article 11 from the bylaws of the Tehran Zoroastrian Association. This note concerns the process for obtaining special approval for candidates subject to its conditions. He also read aloud a letter from the Association that included the names of two individuals requesting to be considered under this exemption. The letter bore the signatures of three members of the presidium from the 45th term—namely the Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary—but notably did not include the signature of the Vice Chair. The presidium, according to the Association’s structure, comprises the Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary.
The request named Afshin Namiranian, Chair of the 45th term, and Farshad Farahifar, Chair of the Education and Cultural Commission. Kaviani then invited any other board members from the previous term who also wished to make use of this clause but had not yet done so to declare their interest. In response, Jamshid Darbian, a member of the 45th term’s Financial Commission, came forward and registered his name.
Each of the three candidates then presented their reasons for invoking the clause:
Farshad Farahifar explained that he began his involvement in community service at the age of 20 and highlighted his past role as a member of the Zoroastrian Association of Taft and its surrounding areas in Tehran. He added that until just two weeks prior, he had not intended to run for another term. While some individuals advised him not to run again, many others—forming a larger group—encouraged him to stand for election and seek approval under this exemption.
Farshad Farahifar, presenting his second reason for invoking Note 1 of Article 11, emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between experienced and newer board members. “I’d like to take this moment to encourage Babak Shahriari to run for a third term,” he said. “But he insists on stepping aside, saying he’ll return after a break. Why should that be the case?”
Afshin Namiranian then spoke about his leadership background and added, “Now that the community has shown trust in me for three consecutive terms, I don’t believe I have the right to simply walk away. So, I’m here to continue.”
After the three candidates spoke, the floor was opened to supporters and critics of their requests.
Mahnaz Firouzmand, speaking in opposition, pointed out that Note 1 of Article 11 is meant for exceptional circumstances requiring special approval, yet none of the candidates clearly addressed this point in their speeches.
Ardeshir Khosroviani, a member of the Association’s 45th term, spoke in favor of the candidates, praising Afshin Namiranian’s remarks as thoughtful and clear-sighted.
On the opposing side, Mehraban Peymani acknowledged the dedication of board members, saying, “They have shown true commitment—meeting four times a month for hours at a time—for which we are sincerely grateful. But now it’s time to let younger individuals step in and for experienced members to pass on their knowledge.”
Sina Gashvadi, another speaker against the exemption, said, “This clause exists to prevent organizational deadlock in exceptional situations. I’m confident that more than 21 people will register as candidates, so we have no need to rely on this clause.”
Kourosh Azargoshasbi, Vice Chair of the Tehran Zoroastrian Association, explained why he had not signed the request: “As Vice Chair of the 45th term, I am neither in favor nor against it. I told the Treasurer, Secretary, and Chair that since we are directly involved, we should not sign the request. That’s why I didn’t sign.”
Babak Shahriari voiced his support for the proposal, saying, “The only comparison I make is that from the era of Arbab Keykhosrow Shahrokh until 1358 (1979), there were no term limits. Now the decision rests with you. Don’t underestimate the value—and the challenges—that experience brings.”
Opposing the proposal, Kambiz Mizaniyan stated, “I’m speaking in general terms, not about any particular individual. The key question is whether we want to focus on individuals or on the system. We should not depend on specific people; we need to build a strong system. During the 45th term, there were 45 candidates; now, only 20 have registered. It’s time to embrace renewal.”
Pedram Soroushpoor also opposed the use of this clause, expressing his concerns about community members’ long-term involvement. “I want to emphasize a specific bylaw related to the Association’s structure, which requires a strategic approach. We need to fully understand this clause. In my opinion, the real problem is the Association’s focus on whether someone stays or leaves. If you remain, there are talks about changing the bylaws again. That’s why this assembly is so important.”
Farshad Farahifar asked for three minutes to speak and said, “Let me run as a candidate—even if you choose not to vote for me, at least allow me to be on the ballot.”
After his remarks, the attendees wrote down the names of those they supported for re-election and placed their votes in the ballot box. Only Afshin Namiranian received enough votes to register for a fourth term.
Following this, Frank Zandenoush invited anyone interested in serving on the Election Supervisory Board for the 46th term and the auditors for the 1404 fiscal year—responsible for overseeing candidate registration and organizing the election—to come forward.
The following attendees put themselves forward as candidates: Arash Khodadadkouchaki, Behrouz Vafadari, Parivash Rashidi Sharifabadi, Farhad Kaviani Gohari, Khodadad Namiri, Shervin Arghavani, Sepehr Bastani, and Mehran Keyvani.
