The Ministry of Justice of the Islamic Republic of Iran appointed senior priest Mobed Mehraban Firouzgary (pictured) leader of a four-member Zoroastrian consulting body that is meant to assist Iranian law courts to resolve disputes pertaining to the personal 
laws of Zoroastrians. On issues like inheritance, bequeathed properties, marriage, divorce and adoption concerning Zarathushtis, the courts will seek the opinion of the consulting body before giving its verdict.
"Please pray with me that no conflict will come up at any time or is reported to me,” urged the senior priest who also serves as the marriage registrar for Zarathushtis in Tehran, appointed by the same Ministry since 1999.
"I have submitted to the pressure of accepting this post just because I consider it my duty towards our community. Otherwise it would have taken a heavy toll on my conscience, especially knowing that our religious yardstick for meting out justice ought to follow that of our spiritual judge Meher Yazata who uses hazangro gaoshahe (1,000 ears) and baevar chashmano (10,000 eyes), indicating that no verdict should be issued unless 1,000 witnesses have been heard and 10,000 documents (all pertaining to that one case) are examined personally!”
conveyed Firouzgary in his communiqué of December 21, 2020.
Besides Firouzgary who was appointed on December 20, the others on the four-member consulting body are Farhad Kaviani and Fahim Farhadi, with Gohartaj Khadem being the lone female voice. She has devoted herself to community social work ever since her son got martyred in the Iran-Iraq war, stated Firouzgary. The ancient Iranians and scriptures allude to a five-member council called a punchayet, stated Firouzgary in response to Parsiana’s queries.
Before this set-up, there was only one such body throughout the country, in the city of Yazd, that dealt with all such cases pertaining to Iranian Zarathushtis, according to the senior priest’s explanation: The constitution of Iran permits recognized religious minorities to propose their respective personal laws subject to the approval of the Justice and Home Ministries. For disputes that fall within state laws, justice is meted out based on the country’s constitution and bylaws governed by Islamic religious injunctions. For other claims concerning minorities, the court is supposed to refer the matter to this consulting body that in turn is expected to send its opinion to the referring court, or as directed (e.g. to a Community Divorce Issuing Registrar, etc). Only thereafter will the court issue its verdict.