In an editorial, the newspaper wrote that hearing people’s grievances in time is an essential skill of governance, adding that authorities acknowledged public concerns during midweek protests, though with some delay and limited corrective actions.
It said earlier and deeper reforms could have prevented street demonstrations and warned that superficial measures risk reopening social wounds.
The paper criticized officials and commentators who branded the protests as “unrest,” saying most participants were ordinary citizens with legitimate economic complaints, despite attempts by a small number of opportunistic or hostile actors to exploit the situation.
It added that protesters themselves rejected calls from foreign-linked groups and attempts to steer demonstrations toward radical or violent slogans.
The editorial urged President Massoud Pezeshkian to undertake serious policy revisions, including replacing ineffective ministers, abandoning an “unstructured consensus strategy,” and addressing economic mismanagement. It also warned against allowing a “shadow government” to influence decision-making.
According to Jomhouri-e Eslami, the administration’s success depends on decisively confronting corruption, prioritizing public welfare, and translating campaign promises into concrete action, stressing that delays in reform could erode public trust.
