This editorial, originally published in June 2011 in Donyaye Sabz (Green World) Weekly, examines two contrasting, simultaneous moments for Iran on the international stage. At the time, Iran had assumed the rotating, ceremonial presidency of OPEC after decades—a position determined by alphabetical order rather than merit.
Simultaneously, however, a far more significant and strategic opportunity was quietly unfolding: the candidacy of Professor Mohammad Saeid Noori Naeini, one of Iran’s most distinguished and experienced experts in international organizations, for the post of Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
This editorial highlights the stark contrast between these two events: on one hand, a temporary, rotational post accompanied by domestic media fanfare; on the other, a merit-based, highly competitive race that was unfortunately met with neglect and indifference from government officials and the media at home. The analysis serves as a critique of a superficial approach to global opportunities and the failure to support Iran’s most qualified professionals on the world stage.
Original Editorial Text (Published in June 2011)
This year, fortune has smiled upon Iran for leadership roles in international organizations. Just a few days ago, after decades of waiting, the presidency of OPEC returned to Iran. As fate would have it, Mohammad Aliabadi—who just weeks ago couldn’t have imagined merging the oil and energy ministries—suddenly found himself on the energy minister’s seat. This sports manager, who last year became the subject of ridicule among agricultural experts for being appointed head of the Fisheries Organization (only to resign shortly after), is now the president of OPEC. He needs little introduction to the Iranian public.
OPEC is an international organization that ostensibly sets oil prices but, in reality, plays a crucial role in all global economic equations. However, we must be realistic: the presidency of OPEC is not like our domestic administrative systems, and the president cannot act unilaterally as they please. The role is passed among members based on the English alphabetical order of their country names. Thus, countries know years in advance when their turn for the presidency will come. The fortunate oil or energy minister simply travels to Vienna on the appointed day to chair the meeting.
The real prize, however, goes to the official who has only been acting head of a ministry for a few days before donning this mantle. While Aliabadi is in Vienna, another Iranian, hundreds of kilometers away, is quietly and with little fanfare campaigning at the headquarters of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization to become its Director-General—a contest with an entirely different nature and process.
Mohammad Saeid Noori Naeini is the sole Iranian candidate for the FAO’s top job, a position he has sought from the very beginning. This role requires navigating many stages, including continuous presence and years of engagement in international forums. This Iranian candidate has been traveling between Rome and Tehran for years, making significant efforts in the agricultural sphere to reach this stage. If we look realistically at the current agricultural situation in our country, it seems unlikely that another Iranian candidate will be able to reach this level for decades to come. And yet, despite his significant presence, he remains largely unnoticed by government officials.
Professor Noori Naeini has a strong resume for the FAO presidency but is not a focus of attention in domestic circles. Most senior experts at the Ministry of Agriculture have not even heard his name in the final days leading up to the election. When they hear such news, they find it hard to believe, thinking it unlikely that such an important and arduous candidacy would have been overlooked by officials. The Iranian FAO candidate has no desire for a media presence in his home country. Noori Naeini prefers to complete this winding road in silence, as he started it. Perhaps he thinks this way, no one can later claim to have helped him surpass his most serious rival, Brazil’s former president, da Silva.
In any case, should Professor Noori Naeini ascend to the Director-General’s chair, it would be a true honor for Iran—a matter to which he himself may not have paid much attention. Reaching this penultimate step is admirable enough, even if some choose to deliberately ignore it.
To download the full article in Persian as a PDF file, please click on the link below.
