In a conversation with Channel 3’s ID program in 2013, Mirslim admitted “the lack of critical space and the closed space of the press” during his ministry. He, who thought that Natiq Nouri would win before the 1376 presidential election, warned the artists who supported Seyyed Mohammad Khatami that they would be deprived of “the public support of the president-elect” after the election. “Fortunately, after the Ministry of Guidance, I don’t have to watch movies anymore,” he said.
While his hardline conservative positions have garnered him support among principlists and traditionalists, they have also attracted criticism from reformists and younger Iranians advocating for greater social freedoms. Nonetheless, Mirsalim’s reputation as an engineer-turned-politician and a principled conservative has made him a respected figure within certain political circles.
