Iran ends expansion of government offices in Tehran

Map of a section of Tehran

Islamic Republic of Iran has banned the establishment of any new government organizations or posts in the capital.

According to a new government by-law, all new government organizations are responsible for moving their volunteer forces out of the capital within a month.

The government had already announced that it is in the process of transferring 200 thousand civil servants out of Tehran. The executive organs were charged with transferring their government organizations outside Tehran by the end of August.

Ahmadinejad administration has also called on the Central Bank of Iran to transfer the bank accounts of government organizations.

Lotfollah Forouzandeh, Deputy of Management and Human Power Development announced that 138 organizations have been prepared for transfer out of Tehran and the employees of these organizations will also be transferred to the new location.

ILNA reports that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called on all executive offices to give their complete cooperation to carry out the Management and Human Power Development decisions regarding transference of civil servants.

A month’s pay and continued benefits, taking away the overtime cap, loans and gifts for getting married, exercise facilities and free healthcare are amongst the incentives offered to civil servants who move out of Tehran.

However, a number of civil servants amongst them employees of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization have protested the move and staged a demonstration in front of the parliament this week.

The government contends that the transference of government organizations is aimed at “ending the degradation” of other provincial cities, preparing for the danger of possible earthquakes in Tehran and “relieving the heavy population of Tehran.”