Iran’s Majlis approves 4 new ministers

Iran’s Majlis (parliament) has given votes of confidence to four ministers proposed by the government of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

In the open session of the Majlis on Wednesday, Iranian lawmakers approved the four ministers after debating their proposed plans.

On July 27, Ahmadinejad introduced Mehdi Ghazanfari, Rostam Qasemi, Mohammad Abbasi and Abdolreza Sheikholeslami as the proposed ministers for the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, the Ministry of Oil, the Ministry of Sports and Youth and the Ministry of Labor, Cooperatives and Social Welfare, respectively.

On June 29, Iranian lawmakers approved the merger of the three ministries of Welfare and Social Security, Labor and Social Affairs as well as Cooperative into the new Ministry of Cooperative, Labor and Social Welfare.

The legislators also passed a bill to merge the ministries of Industries and Mines and Commerce to institute the new Ministry of Industries, Mines and Trade.

The announcement came after the Iranian chief executive declared the establishment of the new Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, following the Majlis’ vote of confidence to Ali Nikzad, the candidate to run the ministry.

Under Iran’s Fifth Five-Year Development Plan from 2010 to 2015, the government had to reduce its ministries from 21 to 17 to improve the efficiency of the country’s administration.