Iran plans government workforce restructuring and hiring controls

Alaeddin Rafieizadeh, head of Iran’s Administrative and Employment Organization, has outlined strategies for restructuring the government workforce. Speaking at the 21st Shahid Rajaee Festival, Rafieizadeh addressed a mandate to reduce the government workforce by 15%, noting that a direct reduction is not feasible in its current form. He has proposed amendments to Article 104 to the Parliament to better manage this transition.

The proposed strategy focuses on controlling new entries into the civil service and not replacing personnel who reach retirement age. Instead of forced layoffs, the government aims to utilize existing human resources by transferring staff from redundant sectors to areas with higher demand.

Rafieizadeh emphasized that essential service sectors, such as education and healthcare, cannot undergo mandatory workforce reductions. For instance, he noted that approximately 50,000 people retire annually from the education sector, and while new hiring will be controlled, teachers must remain in classrooms to ensure service continuity. The plan seeks to balance structural downsizing with the necessity of maintaining public services during periods of crisis.