Tehran: Iran’s Parliament on Wednesday confirmed all 19 ministers proposed by President Masoud Pezeshkian, setting the stage for his government to begin work.
Former Deputy Foreign Minister and nuclear talks negotiator Abbas Araqchi was cleared to become Foreign Minister, receiving 244 votes out of the 285 lawmakers present and voting, while incumbent Esmaeil Khatib retains the post of the Intelligence Minister – a post reserved for clerics, securing 261 votes.
Deputy Chief of Armed Forces and former Air Force chief, Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh will be the new Defence Minister, getting the maximum votes in his favour, at 281.
He was followed by Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Seyyed Abbas Salehi, who had held the post in President Hasan Rouhani’s second administration, with 271 votes.
Former Central Bank Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati was cleared as Finance & Economic Affairs Minister with 192 votes in favour, and former IRGC officer Eskandar Momeni as Interior Minister with 259 votes.
The only female nominee, Farzaneh Sadeq, will be the next Minister of Roads and Urban Development, receiving 230 votes. She is only the second woman to become a minister in Iran.
At the start of the session on giving a vote of confidence, the new President reiterated his insistence on collaboration and cooperation between his administration and Parliament, Iranian media reported.
“I will consider parliament’s advice on my decisions,” Pezeshkian said.
He called for unity and urged the lawmakers to set aside their differences.
Addressing the session, Speaker Mohammad Baqeri Qalibaf said that as many as 285 lawmakers were present for the vote of confidence, and called on the President to leave the session so that the MPs could cast their votes.
Pezeshkian submitted a list of his ministerial picks to the Parliament on August 11, almost two weeks after his swearing-in ceremony.
Lawmakers began debating the qualifications of the proposed ministers on August 17. Intensive sessions were held since last week to discuss the credentials and backgrounds of the proposed ministers for the vote of confidence and the review process lasted until Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters after attending the last day of reviewing the qualifications of his picks for the ministerial posts on Monday, the President expressed hope that the lawmakers in the parliament will give a vote of confidence to all his proposed ministers.
He said that none of his proposed ministers had been chosen without consultations with high-level authorities.
If any of the proposed ministers had failed to win a vote of confidence, Pezeshkian would have up to three months to name a replacement.
–IANS