As long as Iran's political chessboard is not forward-looking, it will reach a repetitive checkmate.

Abbas Abdi

In Vali Asr Square, a sign has been put up with the slogan "Decide Like the Future." This slogan is ambiguous; perhaps they meant to make a pun on "like Bank Ayandeh," or perhaps it means something else. I don't know, and it doesn't really matter; no one pays attention anyway.

Yesterday, the parliament also evaluated the government's one-year performance on the Seventh Development Plan. This is a futile and pointless endeavor because planning in Iran lacks valid criteria for implementation. The programs are completely contradictory.

The existing and desired policymaking in Iran can be compared to a beginner and a grandmaster in chess. The difference between a beginner and a grandmaster in chess usually is not in the number of pieces on the board.

As long as Iranian politics in chess does not move from a momentary game to a forward-looking game, our board will remain as it is: full of tired pieces, aimless moves, and decisions that start anew each time but always end in the same repetitive checkmate./Etemad