The fifth paragraph added (the first version was posted at 4:29 p.m.)
Azerbaijan , Baku, Aug. 3 /Trend /
The Iranian parliament voted for the candidature of IRGC Gen. Rostam Gasemi for oil minister, Fars News Agency reported.
About 216 people voted in favour, 22 against, 7 abstained.
Brigadier General is the head of the " Khatam Ol -Anbiya" base, construction unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps , which currently implements most of Iran 's oil and gas projects .
In February 2010, the U.S. Treasury Department has included Ghasemi's name in a " black list" of persons, who are prohibited from doing business with U.S. companies or have accounts in the United States .
After approving Ghasemi 's candidacy to the post of oil minister , he automatically becomes head of OPEC , which Iran currently chairs . Iran has become OPEC chairman in October last year , it happened for the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution .
A meeting to approve candidates nominated by the President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the post of four ministries began at the Iranian parliament on Wednesday , IRNA reported.
Last week, Ahmadinejad in his letter to the Islamic Consultative Assembly nominated four ministers. Ghasemi is also among Ahmadinejad 's candidates to the post of oil minister.
In mid-May Ahmadinejad dismissed three ministers within a plan of reduction in number of ministries from 21 to 17. Oil Minister Seyyed Masud Mirkazimi , Social Welfare Minister Sadig Mahsuli , Industry and Mines Minister Aliakbar Mehrabian were dismissed from their posts.