As discontent increases over the Vice President appointed by the Iranian President, the Assistant to the President denies the statement that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will not change his decision.
Iranian media cite Mojtaba Samareh Hashemi. He said in an interview on July 21 that the appointment of Esfandiar Rahim Mashai will not be reconsidered.
"Those who are against the appointment of Mashai have no grounds to reconsider his appointment," the Assistant said.
Disputes arose around Mashai after it was claimed he said words about friendship between the Iranian and Israeli people. Mashai's daughter is married to Ahmadinejad's son.
President Ahmadinejad faced tough criticism from his supporters, as well as from opponents, after he appointed Mashai Assistant.
Great Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi said that the appointment of such a person as Mashai is illegal. If the appointment is wrong, the mistake should be corrected as soon as possible, MEHR said.
Only the First Vice President can hold meetings of Cabinet of Ministers when the President is away, though there 12 vice-presidents in Iran.
After an interview with Samareh Hashemi on July 21, Iranian Head Parliamentarian said that the leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seid Ali Khamenei interfered in disputes and that Khamenei always has the final word.
"Denial or admission of Mashai's resignation must be announced by the President without delay," the first Vice Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad-Hassan Abutorabi-Fard told ISNA information agency.
After the news Samareh Hashemi said in reports that he did not state that there would be no changes. He said that no corrections concerning the President's decision on Mashai's appointment had been made right now.
"My words were incorrectly published in several media outlets," he said. I said that no changes concerning this issue had occurred. But it does not mean that they will not occur in the future.