Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday appeared in the morning session of the Iranian parliament to answer questions by a number of representatives over his performance, IRNA reported.
He is to answer 10 questions posed by 79 members of the parliament. Ahmadinejad is the first president in Iranian history to face questions by parliament.
Ali Motahari, an MP from Tehran, is to read out the questions in 15 minutes and then President Ahmadinejad has an hour to offer his answers.
The questions include the decisions and performance of President Ahmadinejad's government on such issues as Tehran underground system, economic growth rate, implementation of the subsidiary plan and cultural budget.
250 reporters from domestic and foreign media and press are present in the parliament to cover the session.
Yesterday, IRNA reported that eleven parliamentaries withdrew their claims against Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Member of the Majlis (Parliament) Presiding Board Mohammad-Hossein Farhangi said.
Farhangi noted that after eleven members of the Iranian parliament withdrew, there are only 68 members left. The minimum number of people is 70.
A group of MPs had initiated a motion to question Ahmadinejad on a series of irregularities committed by his administration.
Resistance to the motion came from two factions: Ahmadinejad's supporters and some of his conservative opponents, who fear he may use the platform to expose scandalous truths about the government.
The irregularities in question include matters such as the failure to provide the budget for expansion of the Tehran Subway system, 11 days of defiance against the order of Ayatollah Khamenei to restore Heydar Moslehi to his position of Intelligence Minister, the disrespectful dismissal of Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, and challenges to the power of Parliament.
Edited by: S. Isayev