Azerbaijan, Baku, Apr. 10/ Trend F.Milad/
The Iranian government has paid $28.5 billion to settle outstanding debts to the Social Security Organization, Fars news agency reported.
The dues have been paid in the form of shares of companies, banks and hotels, the report added. It is said that the move has been taken to defer the Majlis from impeaching the labour minister.
The Majlis presiding board confirmed it received the impeachment motion against Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare Minister Abdolreza Sheikholeslami on Wednesday.
The parliamentarians who are seeking Sheikholeslami's removal have cited the appointment of former Tehran prosecutor general Saeed Mortazavi as the director of the Social Security Organisation as the reason for their motion to impeach him. The motion has been signed by 19 lawmakers. The minister should appear before the parliament in 10 days as of April 14.
A parliamentary report issued on January 10, 2010 blamed Mortazavi for sending 147 inmates charged with involvement in the political unrest that occurred after the presidential election of June 2009, to the substandard Kahrizak detention centre on July 9, 2009.