Nateq Nouri’s thirteen-year tenure as Minister of Interior was one of the longest in the history of the Islamic Republic. The Ministry of Interior was responsible for managing elections, maintaining internal security, and coordinating with provincial governors—a critical portfolio during the turbulent war years and the fragile post-war reconstruction period.
During this time, Nouri developed a reputation as a firm administrator. He emphasized centralized control, discipline, and strict enforcement of electoral laws, often clashing with reform-minded politicians who sought greater openness. He was also responsible for coordinating the activities of local governors and security councils during moments of unrest, particularly in ethnically diverse regions such as Kurdistan, Sistan and Baluchestan, and Khuzestan.
One of the most notable incidents during his ministerial years was the Zahedan uprising in Sistan and Baluchestan during the second parliamentary elections. When the Guardian Council disqualified a local cleric, Seyyed Mohammad Ali Zaboli, protests erupted in Zahedan, leading to attacks on government buildings. In his memoirs published by the Islamic Revolution Documents Center, Nouri recounts the decisive response he ordered:
