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Iran parliament threatens to impeach Foreign Affairs minister
The action is part of a power struggle currently underway between President Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Khamenei ahead of next March’s parliamentary elections and presidential elections set for 2013. Another clash took place today in parliament.
Teheran (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei scored points in his tug-of-war with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Iran’s Majlis or parliament has rejected Hamid Sajjadi, the president’s choice as Sport and Youth minister.
Mr Sajjadi got only 87 votes in favour, 137 against and 23 abstentions. The vote came after Majlis speaker, Ali Larjani, slammed the letter in which President Ahmadinejad proposed Sajjadi’s candidacy.
The failure of the president’s candidate to get the backing of parliament comes two days after a group of lawmakers threatened to impeach Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi for appointing Mohammad Sahrif Malekzadeh to the post of deputy foreign minister. Mr Malekzadeh is seen by many as close to Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, Ahmadinejad’s chief of staff.
By yesterday’s count, about 20 Members of Parliament had signed a petition to prevent the appointment.
Ultra-conservatives, clergymen and top leaders of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have repeatedly attacked Mashaei for deviations that could undermine the Islamic Republic.
Ahmadinejad has always defended his chief of staff, whose daughter is married to the president’s son.
These two recent incidents are part of the ongoing power struggle between Ahmadinejad and Khamenei. The split emerged in April, when the president removed the powerful Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi without Khamenei’s approval.
The Supreme Leader, which in Iran’s system of government has the last word in everything, reacted by ordering Moslehi’s reinstatement, a slap in Ahmadinejad’s face. The president resisted ten days during which he refused to attend cabinet meetings. Eventually though, he gave in and accepted the supreme leader’s order.
According to observers, the power struggle is not over foreign policy, but reflects instead the evolving internal political situation.
In recent months, the president and the conservative majority in parliament have clashed over the budget, state subsidies and a project to streamline the cabinet.
Parliamentary elections are also approaching (set for March next year) as is the choice of Ahmadinejad’s successor (in 2013), events that closely involve the Intelligence minister.
The conflict is thus bound to continue and spread to more areas.