Pirouz Hanachi narrowly won the race for Tehran mayor against his heavyweight rival Abbas Akhoundi in a Tuesday vote by Tehran City Council.
The councilors cast 11 votes for Hanachi, which handed him a tight victory against 10 votes in favor of Akhoundi, ISNA reported.
He is yet to be approved by the Interior Ministry before officially taking office as the capital’s mayor.
Tehran City Council elected the third mayor in less than two years since the start of its current term in May 2016, after its first appointee resigned and the second was expelled.
Mohammad Ali Najafi, who had been sworn in as mayor in September 2017, decided to step down due to undisclosed health conditions and left office in April.
His substitute Mohammad Ali Afshani was subject to a recently enacted ban on reemploying retirees in government positions and was, therefore, dismissed.
Well-Educated Veteran
Hanachi, 55, who is a graduate of architecture and has a PhD in revivalism (reviving historical architectural styles), held postings in the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development under three administrations since 1997, before joining the Tehran Municipality as technical and construction deputy with Najafi’s appointment as mayor.
He later served as deputy for architecture and urban development under Afshani.
Hanachi had earlier contested against both Najafi and Afshani in the previous rounds of mayoral elections. He had also been mentioned as a main candidate to run one of the ministries proposed to be established after the division of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
The ministry was proposed to be split into two separate bodies, one in charge of roads and transportation and the other housing and urban development, but the plan was shelved indefinitely.
New Mayor’s Plans
The mayor-elect said the development of urban transportation and alleviation of air pollution in the metropolis is his top priority.
“[Transportation and air pollution] are two important issues that the municipality, government and all relevant groups as well as residents should join hands to address,” he said in a talk with ICANA.
With regard to downsizing the municipality, which has been put on agenda to make it more efficient, he said he favors a “win-win policy” in which the layoffs are conducted with mutual agreement.
To address social ills, the new mayor is planning to adopt the policy of “culture-based economy”.
This means organizing cultural programs that also help increase the city’s financial turnover.
“This is the least problematic and most productive method to properly manage the city,” he said.
