Ahmadinejad's cabinet challenged by legislators

FARS

Some of Ahmadinejad’s cabinet nominees came under severe criticism today during the three-day parliamentary deliberation on the president’s controversial line-up for the ministries.

The proposed minister of education, Sousan Kashavarz, one of the three women in the proposed cabinet, came under severe attack for lack of previous experience in a ministry environment and especially for complete lack of any teaching background.

The proposed minister of intelligence, Heidar Moslehi, listed "expansion of intelligence capacities for multi-lateral confrontation of the enemy’s soft war, and increased control of enemy groups and their aims” as part of his agenda.

MEHR

However, some legislators cited lack of experience and the absence of any specific program to counter “foreign anti-revolutionaries and destructive opposition” as some of Mr. Moslehi's shortcomings.

Foreign minister, Manochehr Mottaki, who is up for another term at his post, was especially criticized for his four-year tenure in the foreign ministry. He was slammed for his silence regarding the massacre of Muslims in China and the fact that during his term not one EU country extended an invitation to the Iranian president.

“Unprofessional foreign policy, lack of a diplomatic agenda and numerous trips resulting in scant achievements” were listed as marks of his incompetence in the post of foreign minister.

The parliament will continue its deliberation tomorrow and the final parliamentary vote on the proposed cabinet is set for Wednesday.