Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has shuffled a few members of his cabinet and office staff in a move that some have interpreted as prepping his allies for the coming presidential election in June of 2013.
An Iranian government website reports that Esfandiar Rahim Mashai, the head of the president’s office, has been moved from that position to head theSecretary of the Non-Aligned Movement Office.
Tourism and Cultural Heritage chief Hassan Mousavi will replace him as head of the president’s office, while another Ahmadinejad aide, Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh, will head the Cultural Heritage Organization.
Meanwhile, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has removed Reza Taghipour from the helm of the Ministry of Communications and Technology and given those responsibilities to Ali Nikzad, the Minister of Roads and Urban Development.
Taghipour will now serve as the president’s advisor in Communications and Technology.
Some analysts have interpreted the moves as preparations for launching Esfandiar Rahim Mashai or Ali Nikzad as a candidate in the coming presidential election.
