Three Ministerial Nominees Win Iranian MPs’ Confidence Vote
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s picks for three ministries received the parliament’s vote of confidence on Tuesday.
The Iranian legislators debated the qualifications of the nominees to lead the ministries of education, sports and youth affairs as well as culture and Islamic guidance in two sessions on Tuesday morning and afternoon.
President Hassan Rouhani was also present in the morning session of the parliament to defend his proposed nominees.
Following extensive debates, the lawmakers gave their approval to all of the three nominees.
Fakhreddin Ahmadi Danesh Ashtiani won the vote of confidence with 157 for, 111 against and 6 abstentions to become the country’s new education minister.
The president’s pick for the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Massoud Soltanifar, also received the parliament’s endorsement. 193 MPs voted in his favor while 72 opposed his nomination and 9 others abstained.
In the remaining months of the current administration’s term (until August 2017), the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance will be led by Reza Salehi Amiri whose nomination for the job was approved by the lawmakers with 180 yes votes, 89 no votes and 6 abstentions.
In a letter to Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani on October 23, the president had nominated Ahmadi Danesh Ashtiani, Soltanifar, and Salehi Amiri to lead the three ministries.
It came following the resignation of Ali Asghar Fani, Mahmoud Goudarzi, and Ali Jannati, who had respectively served as minsters of education, sports and youth affairs, and culture and Islamic guidance for over three years.
