Iran’s president unveils cabinet

August 20, 2009

2 minutes read

BBC NEWS World Middle East Iran!s president unveils cabiret Ittp://newsvote.bbc.co ,uk/itpapps/pagetools/print/rews.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/nt..
I1flE NEWS
Iran's president unveils cabinet
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose disputed re-election triggered a political
crisis in the country, has unveiled his list of cabinet ministers.
For the first time in the 30-year history of the Islamic republic it includes three women.
Mr Ahmadinejad was sworn in for a second term on 5 August after a disputed poll in June.
Lawmakers are expected to begin voting on the proposed 21-member list at the end of the month.
Under the proposed list, women would head up the country's health, social welfare and education
ministries.
The nominees for the respective posts are Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi, Fatemeh Ajorlou and Sousan
Keshavarz.
Warning
Analysts say Mr Ahmadinejad is expected to face considerable opposition over the list - both from the
conservatives who dominate the assembly and moderates foes who say his government lacks legitimacy.
KEY MINISTRY NOMINATIONS
• Defence : Ahmad Vahidi
• Interior: Mostafa Mohammad Najjar
• Foreign : Manouchehr Mottaki
• Oil : Massoud Mirkazemi
• Intelligence : Heydar Moslehi
The parliament's vice-speaker warned that several of the president's nominations were unlikely to be
approved.
“Some of my colleagues and I [ ...] are of the opinion that close to five ministers proposed by
Ahmadinejad will not receive a vote of confidence,” Moham mad Reza Bahonar was quoted as saying by
the Mehr News Agency.
Mr Bahonar, a conservative, hinted that as many as five of the president's proposed ministers would not
be approved but gave no names.
Later on Thursday, Mr Ahmadinejad is expected to give a televised address to present the cabinet.
The current Commerce Minister Massoud Mirkazemi is nominated to take control of the powerful oil
ministry in a country where crude sales represent 8 O% of foreign revenue.
He will be expected to bolster oil and gas output despite sanctions imposed on Iran by both the US and
UN over its nuclear programme.
Both Mr Mirkazemi and those nominated for the intelligence and interior ministries have a background
within the Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, which is seen as fiercely loyal to the values of the Islamic
Republic.
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