The outcome of three years of Mousa Ahmadi's leadership of the Parliament's Energy Commission has been nothing but corruption, lobbying, and collusion in the oil and petrochemical industry. During this period, Bushehr province has only witnessed the benefit of problematic contractors and managers.
The Selection of Mousa Ahmadi and Fundamental Questions
The selection of Mousa Ahmadi, a cleric from Kongani with a degree in theology, as the head of the Islamic Consultative Assembly's Energy Commission for the third consecutive year has once again raised a fundamental question in the country's expert circles; shouldn't the most important specialized commission of the Parliament in the fields of oil, gas, petrochemicals, and electricity be led by someone with a related scientific or executive background?
Critics of this selection believe that the leadership of a commission with such a level of importance requires, above all, a deep understanding of the energy industry's structure, energy economics, oil and gas contracts, investment challenges, and technologies in this field. Meanwhile, Mousa Ahmadi, with a degree in theology, has the smallest background or education related to the energy industry, and the outcome of his three-year leadership of this commission has been nothing but increased lobbying and the influence of representatives in the managerial arrangements of energy industries and seeking shares from major contracts in this field by interfering in the selection of contractors.
Concerns Arising from Lack of Expertise
The lack of specialized background or related education raises concerns that the commission's decision-making and prioritization may be influenced more by political considerations and corrupt relations than by technical knowledge and industry needs. What is criticized is the difference between "legal possibility" and "expert expectation." In many parliaments around the world, the leadership of specialized commissions is usually entrusted to representatives who have a background in activity, managerial experience, or knowledge related to that field; because the quality of oversight and legislation is directly related to the level of understanding of the commission's head and members of specialized issues.
The Mechanism of Selecting Commission Heads
This issue is not limited to one individual or one term, but rather it returns to the mechanism of selecting commission heads. If the main criteria for selection are political coalitions, corrupt financial lobbying, and factional balances, it is natural that meritocracy will be sidelined. In such conditions, expertise is no longer a determining advantage, and key seats may be distributed more based on political agreements than professional capability.
Challenges of Iran's Energy Industry
Iran's energy industry, with tens of billions of dollars in projects, faces challenges in attracting investment, sanctions, infrastructure modernization, and regional competition. Such an industry requires precise oversight, specialized legislation, and expert evaluation. The greater the gap between the management of supervisory bodies and the technical realities of this industry, the more likely it is that decision-making quality will decrease, oversight will weaken, and inefficiency will increase.
Concerns of Experts and Energy Sector Activists
In recent years, some experts and activists in the energy sector have expressed concern about the growing influence of opaque relations, political pressures on managers, and the prominent role of lobbies in decisions related to major energy projects. On the other hand, at the local level, the selection of someone like Mousa Ahmadi as head of the Energy Commission has brought no achievements for Bushehr province, specialized youth, and the industries located in the province other than intensifying political and financial competition among contractors.
