MPs comment on cabinet nominees

August 23, 2009 - 0:0

TEHRAN - The Majlis is carefully studying the cabinet nominees’ records and after they are approved by the parliament, there should not be many cabinet reshuffles, Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Chairman Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on Saturday.

Ten cabinet ministers resigned or were sacked during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s first term in office.
On August 19, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unveiled the names of 21 nominees for ministerial posts in his new administration.
Three women are among the nominees. They would become the first female ministers in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran if they are approved by the parliament, which has one week to assess the qualifications of the cabinet nominees.
Commenting on Haidar Moslehi’s nomination for the post of intelligence minister, Boroujerdi told the Mehr News Agency that contrary to what some people think about Moslehi’s record, he spent many years in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Intelligence Department and has considerable relevant experience.
He also said Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki is a better choice for the post of foreign minister than other people.
“Due to his familiarity with the Foreign Ministry and his four years of experience in this field, Mottaki is a better choice in comparison with other options who do not have any experience in this field,” Boroujerdi added.
He also stated that Ahmad Vahidi is a good choice for defense minister.
“Vahidi was an active commander… during the Sacred Defense (1980–1988 Iraq-Iran war). Therefore, he has no problem as far as his knowledge of this ministry is concerned, but we should see what his plans are,” he added.
Commenting on Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar’s nomination for the post of interior minister, Boroujerdi said lawmakers will have a meeting with Mohammad-Najjar soon to talk about his plans as the interior minister.
Mohammad-Najjar has a good record as the defense minister but future talks will play a decisive role, he added.
MP Hossein Sobhaninia has predicted that three or four of the 21 nominees for ministerial posts will not be approved by the parliament.
The president did not consult any of the specialized committees of the Majlis about his ministerial nominees, he told the Mehr News Agency on Saturday.
“The proposed cabinet is relatively good in comparison with the 9th cabinet,” he stated.
MP Mostafa Kavakebian has criticized Ahmadinejad for introducing the ministerial nominees on national TV.
No nominee can be “imposed” on lawmakers, he told the Mehr News Agency on Saturday.
He also said that Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting gave the president two hours to introduce his cabinet nominees and it should give lawmakers an equal amount of air time to express their views on the ministerial nominees.
MP Hossein Naqavi of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy committee has said that it is not likely that Mohammad-Najjar and Moslehi will be approved by lawmakers.
“The Interior Ministry has a special position in the country and should have a fatherly and interactive approach toward all political factions,” but the selection of someone with a military background will cause tension in society, he told the Mehr News Agency on Saturday.
Despite his good management record, Mr. Moslehi is not familiar enough with the Intelligence Ministry and it is unlikely that the Majlis will approve him, he added.
However, Mottaki and Vahidi will be approved by the parliament, he predicted.
MP Ali Banaii is skeptical about some of the choices for the new cabinet.
The reasons Ahmadinejad cited for his selections of the ministerial nominees did not even convince ordinary people, let alone lawmakers, Banaii told the Mehr News Agency on Saturday.
Citizens and MPs have higher expectations of a cabinet, he noted.
“Unfortunately, some of the people who have been nominated (to serve) as ministers… were allowed to work in ministries for some months or at most one year so that they were able to acquire the necessary resumes,” he said.
At least five or six nominees will not be approved by the Majlis, he added.