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Iran's Parliament Rejects Four Proposed Ministers


24 August 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Iran's parliament today rejected four of the 21 cabinet ministers proposed by new President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, including the key post of oil minister.

Parliamentary speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel said proposed Oil Minister Ali Saidlu gained 101 votes in favor from the 284 lawmakers present, falling well short of the simple majority required. Proposed ministers for education, cooperatives, and social welfare were also turned down.

Haddad-Adel said parliamentarians want "a stronger government," and said the rejection "should not be interpreted as an insult" to Ahmadinejad, who unexpectedly won the 24 June presidential poll.

Haddad-Adel said Ahmadinejad has three months to propose alternative nominees for the ministries.

Many lawmakers had complained that Saidlu and some of the other ministerial nominees lacked experience.

(Reuters/AFP)

See also: Iran: Politicians Skeptical Of President's Obscure Cabinet Choices

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