The Iranian Parliament is to consider a bill, which would turn three governmental bodies into separate ministries as of next year.
Should the bill be approved, the Physical Education Organization (PEO) will become the Sports Ministry while the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization and the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans’ Affairs will also turn into separate ministries.
The 21 members of Parliament who introduced the bill on Tuesday want more control over the three bodies.
The PEO became the target of harsh criticism after Iran’s failures in major sports competitions, including the 2008 Beijing Olympics Games and the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
Esfandyar Rahim-Masha’i, the former head of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, was also severely criticized after saying last year Iran was friend with the Israeli people.
The passage of the bill would allow the Parliament to impeach the ministers if the majority of lawmakers back such a move.
The Parliament also plans the merge the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology with the Ministry of Roads and Transportation, and the Ministry of Industries and Mines with the Ministry of Commerce.
The merger plans have received mixed reaction from parliamentarians and analysts.
