Azerbaijan , Baku, August 3 / Trend /
(previous version posted at 10:54)
The Iranian parliament has set up a sitting to ratify candidatures of four ministers nominated by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, IRNA reported.
The Iranian president after advocating his nominees for 10 minutes left the parliament. According to the law, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad can advocate each nominee for one hour, but he preferred to speak 10 minutes totally.
Earlier, in a letter to the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Parliament), Ahmadinejad introduced his nominees for four ministries on July 27.
Ahmadinejad submitted a new list of candidates to head the newly established ministries.
The letter was submitted to the Parliament's Presiding Board by Vice-President for Parliamentary Affairs Mohammad-Reza Mirtajeddini.
According to Ahmadinejad's letter, nominees to head the newly merged ministries include Roustam Ghasemi as Oil Minister, Abdolreza Sheikholeslami as Minister for Cooperatives, Labor and Social Security, Mehdi Ghazanfari as Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade, and Mohammad Abbasi as Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs.
Iran 's parliament approved the formation of two ministries on the bases of five ministries with 174 votes for, five votes against, and five votes abstained.
Ministries of Cooperatives, Labor, Welfare and Social Security merged into one body, while the Mines and Industries joined with the Ministry of commerce and formed a new ministry.
According to legislation, all functions and administrative powers of these ministries are transferred into two new ministries: "Cooperatives, Labor and social Security" and "Industry, Mines and Trade".