Following the election Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president in the presidential election of 2005, Jamei was appointed managing director of the International Center for Dialogue Among Civilizations, an organization founded by Khatami.After 2013 local election, he was nominated as chairman of City Council of Tehran by Reformists. Mohsen Hashemi Rafsanjani was also Reformists’ nominee for Mayor of Tehran. On 3 September 2013, Masjed-Jamei was elected as chairman by 16 out of 31 votes and succeeded Mehdi Chamran in the post.