Iran culture minister resigns over ‘deputy row’

Amid controversies over president Ahmadinejad’s first deputy pick, the Iranian Minister of Culture and the Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Hassan Saffar-Harandi announces his resignation.

In his letter to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Saffar-Harandi said he would not be present at the ministry anymore following Ahmadinejad’s “oral notification” on his dismissal and the announcement of a caretaker for the ministry.

Saffar-Harandi expressed his regret over the recent dissensions among Iran’s ruling system, saying, “It led to the weakening of the government.”

He added that he shoulders no responsibility at the Culture Ministry.

“Presumably the revocation was meant to prevent the government from seeking a confidence vote from the Parliament,” read the letter.

On Sunday, President Ahmadinejad revoked his decision to sack the ministers of intelligence, culture and labor after a number of Parliament members said the government, in its 8 days of tenure, must seek a new vote of confidence.

The three ministers, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, Mohammad-Hassan Saffar-Harandi and Mohammad Jahromi, had reportedly opposed the president’s decision to appoint Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei as the first vice president.

Consequently, the president chose to only dismiss the Intelligence Minister Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei.

According to Article 136 of Iran’s Constitution, if more than half of the members of Cabinet are replaced, “the government must seek a fresh vote of confidence from Parliament.”

The official resignation comes after sources close to Saffar-Harandi told Press TV on Sunday that he is unwilling to remain in his post.

After the dismissal of Iran’s intelligence minister, Vice Speaker of Parliament Mohammad-Reza Bahonar declared as ‘illegal’ all Cabinet sessions of the current government until President Ahmadinejad’s official inauguration for his second term.

“More than half of the Cabinet members have been changed. So, in less than two weeks before the government’s tenure, the Cabinet sessions are illegal and cannot pass ratifications,” he said.