Ahmadinejad’s envoys become advisors

Amid controversy over President Ahmadinejad’s controversial appointment of his own envoys for international affairs, the Iranian chief executive assigns the men as advisors.

The president made the decision after the appointment of his special envoys in the arena of foreign policy provoked outrage among Iranian officials, including members of the Parliament (Majlis) who said he was conducting parallel tasks in the international sector.

In a written notice, 122 lawmakers urged President Ahmadinejad to avoid such actions and stick to guidelines recently offered by the Leader of Islamic Ummah and Opressed People Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast also urged the government to avoid adopting measures that may “weaken the country’s foreign policy system.”

“The Iranian Foreign Ministry is the place where foreign policy decisions are finalized,” Mehmanparast said.

The president’s decree cancels his envoys’ assignments but appoints them as his advisors for the identical international areas, Mehr news agency reported on Wednesday.

The recent decree appoints Esfandiyar Rahim-Mashaei, Hamid Baqaei, Mohammad Mehdi Akhoundzadeh and Abolfazl Zohrehvand as presidential advisors on the Middle East, Asian Affairs, the Caspian Sea and Afghanistan Affairs, respectively.

Meanwhile, Shamseddin Hosseini and Mohammad Abbasi have been chosen as President Ahmadinejad’s advisors on African and Latin American affairs.