Iranian Pension Chief Announces Enhanced Support and Greater Inclusion for Retirees
In a significant address during a meeting commemorating the national Elderly Week, the acting head of Iran’s Civil Servants Pension Fund, Dr. Aladdin Azouji, unveiled a new vision for retiree support, emphasizing both immediate financial aid and a structural shift towards including retirees in high-level decision-making.
A New Era of Collaborative Governance
Dr. Azouji congratulated the nation’s elders and highlighted that a substantial portion of pensioners are in this esteemed stage of life. He called for a fundamental change in the role of provincial retiree associations, moving beyond an advocacy-focused model to one of active partnership.
“While retiree associations currently play a demanding role, they must also share in the Fund’s decision-shaping and decision-making processes,” Dr. Azouji stated. He pointed to an existing imbalance, where associations are active in demanding services but have a limited role in decisions regarding the Fund’s resources and investments. He proposed establishing clear mechanisms to rectify this, suggesting that association representatives could play a supervisory role to foster greater transparency and mutual trust.
Operational Reforms for National Efficiency
To harness the potential of local insights, Dr. Azouji mandated a rigorous evaluation of provincial associations’ performance. He instructed managers to systematically record and summarize the meetings and resolutions of associations across the country. This, he explained, would allow successful provincial ideas and experiences to inform national policymaking.
Furthermore, he championed a “pilot program” approach for new policies. “A weakness in national decision-making is the simultaneous implementation of policies across all provinces,” he remarked. “If programs are first trialed in one or a few limited provinces and then expanded, errors are minimized, and successful experiences can be disseminated more rapidly nationwide.”
Commitment to Welfare and Timely Payments
Reaffirming the Fund’s commitment to retirees’ welfare, Dr. Azouji provided concrete updates on financial support. “Our effort is to ensure that salaries and benefits are paid without delay,” he said. He also announced that the gradual payment of outstanding 2024 supplementary medical insurance dues for civil pensioners had commenced the previous week.
In the meeting, heads of the Tehran Province retiree associations discussed essential matters, including the implementation of relevant legal articles, pension adjustments, strengthening supplementary medical insurance, and increasing therapeutic centers. The discussions underscored a shared goal: through cooperation and by avoiding parallel efforts, realistic and effective decisions can be made to enhance the quality of life for all retirees.