Following the dismissal of three ministers, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has appointed caretaker ministers of mines and industries, and welfare and social security, Press Tv reported.
President Ahmadinejad on Sunday issued separate decrees announcing the appointment of Minister of Commerce Mehdi Ghazanfari and Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Abdolreza Sheikholeslam as caretakers Ministers of Mines and Industries and Welfare and Social Security.
The Iranian chief executive introduced the two caretaker ministers based on Article 135 of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Constitution.
In three separate decrees on Saturday, Ahmadinejad dismissed Welfare Minister Sadeq Mahsouli, Minister of Mines and Industries Ali Akbar Mehrabian and Oil Minister Massoud Mirkazemi from their posts according to the "53rd article of the Fifth Five-Year Development Plan."
According to Iran's Fifth Five-Year Development Plan (2010-2015), the Iranian government is obliged to reduce its ministries form 21 to 17 to officially improve the efficiency of state administration.
Earlier last week, the Iranian government announced plans to merge the ministries of Roads and Transportation with Housing and Urban Development, Energy with Oil, Industries and Mines with Commerce, and Welfare and Social Security with Labor and Social Affairs.
On May 10, Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani warned against the "heavy costs" of the government's plan to merge ministries before the Majlis approval, calling for an end to the "illegal" move.
The top Iranian parliamentarian emphasized that ministers who have obtained the Majlis vote of confidence should remain in their posts before dismissal.
In a letter to Larijani on May 11, Head of Iran's Guardian Council Ahmad Jannati endorsed the Parliament's view according to the Article 133 of the Iranian Constitution.