Ahmadinejad Appoints Caretaker Oil Minister

Mohammad Aliabadi

Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad today appointed a caretaker oil minister after an earlier decision by the Iranian president to name himself to that post drew strong resistance from the country's parliament.

Ahmadinejad named political ally Mohammad Aliabadi to the post.

Aliabadi previously worked as head of Iran's national Olympic committee, as vice president in charge of physical education, and as head of the fishery organization.

Parliament claimed Ahmadinejad's decision to assume the post of oil minister was a violation of the constitution and reported it to the judiciary.