The Iranian Parliament has filed a charge with the judiciary against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for failing to appoint a caretaker to oversee the ministry of oil.
Mehr News Agency reports that Parliament decided to act with a vote of 165 to 1, with 13 abstentions. The motion was based on a report from the energy commission, which has deemed the president’s takeover of the oil ministry to be illegal.
Last month, Ahmadinejad announced he would temporarily take the helm of the ministry as it undergoes a merger with the ministry of energy.
Eleven MPs recently wrote a letter to the head of Parliament declaring that the president’s takeover of the oil ministry is unconstitutional.
The MPs write: “In his capacity as the minister of oil, Mr. Ahmadinejad has issued orders that blatantly reveal the disposal of public property.”
The Guardian Council, which acts as the constitutional watchdog, had also challenged Ahmadinejad’s takeover. However, the president’s office responded that the council decision could not be applied retroactively.
