Despite uproar, Ahmadinejad appoints Mashaei to new job

After a weeklong furor amongst Iran’s ruling elite over Ahmadinejad’s vice president choice, the president appoints the deputy, who resigned, as an advisor and head of the Presidential Office.

“I appoint you [Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei], as a faithful and competent figure, as advisor and head of the Presidential Office,” Ahmadinejad said in a decree on Saturday.

According to the decree published on president’s website, Ahmadinejad expressed hope Rahim-Mashaei would be successful in serving the great Iranian nation and the Islamic establishment in cooperation with his colleagues.

Rahim-Mashaei’s appointment as the country’s vice president unleashed torrents of criticism from both the president’s supporters and opponents alike.

Following the political controversy, the president reversed his decision and accepted Rahim-Mashaei resignation.