October 4, 2026, Tehran — Masoud Pezeshkian, by accepting the resignation of Mohsen Paknejad from the Ministry of Oil, appointed Hamid Bord as the interim and simultaneously, the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Oil, under new management, held official meetings with energy sector media, including 'Energy Line.'
This change at the top of the Ministry of Oil and the reactivation of the ministry's information axis presents a clear chain of decisions and signatures: Javad Owji appointed 'Ali Forouzandeh' as the Director General of Public Relations of the Ministry of Oil on September 12, 2021; on December 9, 2025, 'Saman Ghodousi' was appointed as the head of the department and subsequently received the official decree for directorship and spokesperson; on October 4, 2026, Pezeshkian accepted the minister's resignation and appointed Bord as interim.
Official Meeting, Defined Platforms
In a brainstorming meeting of the Ministry of Oil's Public Relations with journalists, representatives of specialized energy media were present. The official report of these meetings indicates the holding of training sessions and coordination meetings with the media. In one of these meetings, 'Sajjad Taheri,' the editor-in-chief of 'Energy Line,' spoke as a speaker about explaining energy reforms. His presence and legal title are recorded in the official report of 'Energy Line.'
'Energy Line' is a specialized media outlet in the field of oil, gas, and energy that officially publishes dedicated pages and content. The website of this media has documented its editorial activities and introduced its publication paths.
Figures and Responsibilities
'Seyed Ehsan Hosseini' has been introduced as a journalist and researcher in the energy sector, with previous experience in Fars and 'Farhikhtegan' and management/editorial roles at 'Energy Line' mentioned in his official introductions. His professional introduction page and author page on 'Energy Line' have recorded this role.
In the policy-making section, repeated changes at the head of the Ministry of Oil's Public Relations in the last two governments have been documented: from the appointment of 'Ali Forouzandeh' in the thirteenth government to assigning responsibilities to 'Majid Boujarzadeh' and then 'Saman Ghodousi' as interim, and finally issuing the official decree for Ghodousi's directorship and spokesperson role. Documentation of these appointments has been published.
Change of Minister and New Configuration of Interaction with Media
With the acceptance of Paknejad's resignation on October 4, 2026, and the appointment of Hamid Bord as interim, the Ministry of Oil simultaneously hosted a coordination meeting for the government’s information branches; a meeting attended by Bord and heads of government information agencies alongside the Director General of Public Relations of the Ministry of Oil. This event displays a new direction for the Ministry of Oil's media interactions.
Media Context: Fars Hack and Wave of Document Reshares
In December 2022, the 'BlackReward' group took over the hacking of Fars News Agency and published a collection of documents and data; at that time, the release of a controversial video attributed to Fars employees on social media made headlines, and Fars News Agency itself denied the 'attribution of the surveillance camera video to this news agency.' These issues have been documented in media reports and official statements.
The disclosure of hacked Fars documents and subsequent reports on the 'World Cup operation plan' and the political exploitation of the sports event illustrated a connection between media, politics, and security; a connection that is now being repeated in the oil and energy file, in a different form of institutional and media relations.
Policy Research Networks and Energy Groups
'Iran Think Tanks Network (ITAN)' has been introduced since 2000 as a policy research network with specialized groups including the 'Energy Group.' The mission of this network, as stated in its documents, is 'decision-making, networking, and completing the cycle of influence.' The presence of such networks focused on energy, alongside the growth of specialized energy media, complicates the landscape of information dissemination and policy-making.
The Chain of Events; Who Signed, What Was Changed, Who Should Answer
1) The signatures are clear: Owji appointed Forouzandeh as the Director General of Public Relations of the Ministry of Oil on September 12, 2021; Paknejad appointed Ghodousi as the head of Public Relations on December 9, 2025, and then the official decree for directorship and spokesperson was issued; Pezeshkian accepted Paknejad's resignation on October 4, 2026, and appointed Bord as interim.
2) What was changed: management of communications and the distribution field of platforms. The Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Oil, according to official reports, has held periodic meetings with the media and provided specific platforms to specialized media including 'Energy Line'; the name and title of 'Sajjad Taheri' as the editor-in-chief of Energy Line is mentioned in the official report of this media meeting.
3) Who should answer: The Ministry of Oil and the Public Relations Department are obliged to disclose the list of media collaborations, content production contracts, advertisements, and media supports. The 'publication and access to information contracts guideline' specifies the obligation to make public contracts accessible. This ministry must operationalize accountability by publishing a complete list of contracts, contracting parties, amounts, and execution periods in official databases.
What the Case Components Mean for the Public
For the public, the meaning of this chain is simple: the Ministry of Oil — as a vital axis of the economy — has redesigned its communication network with the media alongside managerial changes. Wherever a ministry's public relations works with the media, 'public money, public access, and public right to know' are at stake. The public release of media contracts is a clear criterion for media justice: if platforms and facilities have been provided to specific media, the bill must be published; if there is no support or contract, an official declaration of 'zero' in each row is essential.
The continuation of coordination meetings for government information in the buildings of the Ministry of Oil, alongside the establishment of an active Director General and spokesperson, allows the ministry to convey its messages uniformly and quickly. This information advantage must be accompanied by transparency in spending and equal access to strengthen public trust.
Names and Dates on the Table
— Javad Owji, Minister of Oil (2021): The appointment decree of 'Ali Forouzandeh' as the Director of Public Relations marked the beginning of the first phase of reconfiguring the Ministry of Oil's platforms.
— Mohsen Paknejad, Minister of Oil (2023 to 2025): The introduction of 'Saman Ghodousi' as interim and then the issuance of the official decree for directorship and spokesperson; holding structured meetings with the media.
— Masoud Pezeshkian, Head of Government (2023 to present): Acceptance of Paknejad's resignation and appointment of 'Hamid Bord' as the head of the Ministry of Oil on October 4, 2026; continuation of the government's information axis in the Ministry of Oil building.
Next Task: Transparent Documents, Complete List
The Ministry of Oil and the Public Relations Department of this ministry must promptly publish the list of media contracts from 2022 to 2026: contract title, subject, amount, contracting party, date of signing, execution date, and payment documentation. According to the official access guideline, this data must be available in the introduced systems or information bases of the ministry. Any contract that does not have confidentiality conditions must be published; any classified contract must be clearly specified with precise legal references.
Alongside this list, the Ministry of Oil must also publish the process of selecting contracted media, performance evaluation criteria, content effectiveness indicators, and the final report of each media project. Periodic meetings with the media, if held based on transparent and equal criteria, will increase public and professional trust in the outputs.
Definitive Conclusion
The chain today is clear: the change of minister on October 4, 2026, the appointment of an interim, the continuation of government information meetings in the Ministry of Oil, and the presence of specialized media including 'Energy Line' with editor-in-chief Sajjad Taheri and editorial leadership of Seyed Ehsan Hosseini have created a transparent operational map. The Ministry of Oil must complete this map for public opinion by publishing a complete list of contracts and media interactions.
