Tehran City Council on Sunday rejected the resignation of Mayor Mohammad Ali Najafi who had decided to step down due an undisclosed "health issues."
Sixteen councilors voted against and four in favor of his resignation, ISNA reported. One member of the elected body was absent during the meeting held to discuss the mayor's decision to quit.
"I have been diagnosed with a medical condition, which requires me to undergo intense treatment and a long recovery period. For this purpose I submitted my resignation," Najafi, a 66-year old pro-reform politician, told the council before the vote.
Despite his insistence on health grounds, conflicting reports of his decision to leave had been published in the local media, with some saying he was forced to quit after being criticized by conservatives for a ceremony on March 6, in which under-age girls danced for a mixed-gender audience.
Prosecutors later summoned the mayor for attending the celebration at Tehran’s Milad Tower ahead of Women's Day.
Political Pressure
Some observers had hinted at political pressure by hardliners and conservatives as the real reason behind Najafi's resignation.
The MIT-educated mayor was overwhelmingly elected as Tehran mayor last August and officially took office in September. He replaced Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who held the post for 12 years. All members of the city council are pro-reformists.
In Sunday's session, Najafi asked everyone to stop relating his resignation to "political issues", saying that his new health issue is the main factor.
However, the mayor concurred that contributing factors are usually involved in such situations.
Track Record
He expressed concern that he would be unable to fulfill all his responsibilities if his health deteriorates, which may tarnish the positive track record he had had so far.
A variety of effective measures have been taken to improve the quality of life of residents in the metropolis of 12 million people with the support of the council, he noted, adding that certain organizations and individuals have been seeking to smear the municipality's image from the outset. He did not name names.
Public Demand
Mohsen Hashemi, head of Tehran City Council, hailed the mayor's performance and denied reports that the council has been reluctant to support Najafi and his plans.
Councilors who appoint the mayor, have been voted in by popular vote so the people’s demands should be respected, he said.
Other councilors called on mayor, a former education minister, to rescind his resignation, touting his achievements particularly in fighting corruption and building rapport with the parliament that has helped resolve many problems.
