Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has presented Parliament with his four nominees for ministers of oil, sports, industry and cooperatives.
Iranian media report that today, in a letter to Parliament, the Iranian president nominated Brigadier General Rostam Ghassemi as his candidate for the Ministry of Oil, Mohammad Abbasi for the Ministry of Sports and Youth, Mohammad Ghazanfari for this Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade and Abdolreza Sheikoleslami for the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare.
Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani announced that MPs will vote on the proposals next week.
Three of these ministries — Industry, Mines & Trade; Cooperatives, Labour & Social Welfare; and Sports and Youth — were formed when the number of ministries was reduced from 21 to 17.
Ahmadinejad has faced grave disputes with Parliament over these mergers, with MPs demanding greater control over the outcome.
Ahmadinejad resisted the establishment of the new Ministry of Sports and Youth but finally had to acquiesce. His earlier nominee for sports minister was rejected by Parliament, mainly because the president’s proposal letter was highly critical of even forming such a ministry.
