His ultimate legacy will depend on whether he can translate his managerial pragmatism into real reform within a rigid system, or whether he will remain another powerful figure who sustained the status quo under the banner of efficiency and modernization. When Ghalibaf lost the 2005 election, he was proposed as Mayor of capital along with Mohammad Aliabadi and Mohammad-Ali Najafi.
Ghalibaf’s economic vision emphasizes self-reliance, national production, and managerial efficiency within the framework of the Islamic Republic’s ideology. He has frequently criticized both reformists and ultra-hard-liners for failing to address everyday economic problems faced by ordinary. In his early years, he was seen as a war hero and loyal revolutionary. As Tehran mayor, he became known as a modernizer and technocrat, with the slogan “Let’s make Tehran for all.
