By Ali Darabi
Various theories and perspectives have been proposed regarding the responsibilities of management. However, there is broad consensus that managers are entrusted with five core functions: planning, organizing, staffing, leadership, and control.
The purpose of this article is not to explain the importance of these five components. Rather, it is to emphasize that when the pillars of management fail to perform their duties properly and in a timely manner, organizational resources are wasted. Among these responsibilities, the ability to make sound decisions is the defining characteristic of senior leadership in any institution, organization, or governing body, and a key manifestation of good governance.
In the aftermath of war and the transformations that follow, fundamental changes in the approach, policies, strategies, and management of Iranian society are essential. Every official must be accountable within the scope of their responsibilities and authority. Some reforms require more suitable conditions and additional time, such as constitutional revisions, modernization of outdated provisions, addressing existing shortcomings, and determining whether the country should move toward a parliamentary or presidential system, or even adopt a bicameral legislature. These are important issues that demand careful consideration of Iran’s cultural, social, and political realities.
Other reforms, however, are urgently needed now, in the post-war environment. Among the most important are the following:
1. Reforming the Administrative Structure
The fact that the state remains responsible for such a large share of the economy, politics, and culture is a major strategic mistake, rooted in the revolutionary radicalism of the first decade after the 1979 Revolution, when it was believed that everything should be controlled by the government.
Nearly five decades later, should the country still be following the same course? What practical purpose is served by the existence of 114 supreme councils chaired by the president, or 350 committees and working groups? Why do administrative corruption and inefficiency persist despite the presence of 53 oversight bodies? What tangible outcomes are produced by the dozens of cultural, artistic, and publicly funded organizations that consume state resources?
Responsibility for these reforms rests with the legislative and executive branches, and especially with the president, who, under the Constitution, holds authority over administrative affairs, public employment, planning, and budgeting.
2. Decisions on War and Peace
The authority to declare war and peace rests with the Supreme Leader, through mechanisms defined by the Supreme National Security Council. Accurate and evidence-based assessments from military, security, and intelligence institutions, honestly consolidated by the Council’s secretariat and presented without excessive caution, can help create a path toward ending conflict and establishing lasting peace and stability.
Iran now stands at a historic turning point. Poor decisions—or delayed decisions—can easily transform victory into defeat.
The same principle applies to the large-scale public gatherings that have become symbols of national solidarity. After more than one hundred nights of demonstrations and public participation, who should decide when such gatherings should conclude or continue? Why are responsible institutions reluctant to accept accountability?
3. National Reconciliation
Must the country wait longer to heal divisions and disagreements? Is this not the ideal moment for national reconciliation?
When the judiciary proposes a general amnesty and it is approved, when women can ride motorcycles and attend sporting events in safety, and when the divide between supporters and opponents of compulsory hijab has visibly diminished, society demonstrates an unprecedented level of coexistence among citizens of differing views and lifestyles.
These developments are not merely social changes; they are signs of national reconciliation and social cohesion—arguably the country’s most valuable asset in confronting external adversaries.
4. Opening the Political Space
Across the country, Iranians have rallied around the nation and its flag in the face of external threats. The Supreme Leader has likewise called for unity.
In a more open political environment, courts should play a smaller role, while the media, press, and political parties should play a larger one. Those who actively collaborate with hostile forces are a separate matter. The broader issue is that arrests and repression cannot create political, cultural, or social development.
A more open political atmosphere would also reduce the burden on security and intelligence agencies. The Iranian people have repeatedly shown that they understand both the times they live in and the threats they face. Despite inflation, unemployment, factory closures, and the economic consequences of war, they have demonstrated resilience and courage.
The least that can be done in return is to provide conditions for a dignified life. The prolonged debate over unrestricted internet access is a telling example. Years of delay and immense costs were incurred before international internet access was finally restored. Such cases illustrate the consequences of poor decision-making.
5. A Weak Information System
Iran must acknowledge its shortcomings in public communication, public education, timely responses to rumors and misinformation, and the preparation of cultural and media strategies to explain major policies and decisions.
Today’s conflicts are hybrid, cognitive, informational, and technological. Yet a substantial portion of media resources continues to be consumed by contradictory statements and disputes over who said what.
Conflicting reports regarding the location of the Assembly of Experts’ meetings, the condition of the Supreme Leader, and the decisions of the Assembly itself have created confusion. Public opinion inevitably asks which account is accurate and which is not.
How can public trust be maintained under such circumstances? The range of conflicting analyses and narratives presented across television, radio, print, and digital media is often astonishing.
Why, especially during wartime, has there been no effective effort to establish coherence, discipline, and consistency within the country’s information and news system? The government, parliament, judiciary, and Supreme National Security Council all possess responsibilities and authority in this area. Why are they not exercising them more effectively?
Ultimately, the issue is one of management, planning, organization, oversight, and timely decision-making. Iran continues to pay a heavy price for poor, misplaced, and delayed decisions. This reflects weaknesses within the country’s system of governance.
For a nation that has stood alone against what many regard as the world’s most powerful military forces and their allies—from Israel to others—and emerged resilient and victorious, such shortcomings are unworthy.
Every individual who holds authority, however great or small, must exercise courage, rationality, and sound judgment in making decisions for the benefit of the nation and its people. Tomorrow may be too late.
As Rumi wrote: “To postpone until tomorrow is not the way.”