Education Minister Survives Impeachment

TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- Iran's parliament voted overwhelmingly Wednesday against impeaching the education minister, in a victory for President Hassan Rouhani.

Date: 24 June 2015 - 21:34

News ID: ۱۵۳۸۲

Critics had accused Education Minister Ali Asghar Fani of failing to address complaints from teachers over low salaries.
The impeachment motion was rejected by 167 lawmakers in the 290-seat parliament, with 76 voting in favor.
It had been expected to fail after the majority group in parliament, the "Followers of the Leader" faction, had assured the minister of its support.
A member of faction, Behrouz Nemati, denounced the motion as "partisan hostage-taking by anti-government lawmakers".
Fani defended his record in parliament, telling lawmakers that he had been dealing with problems "inherited from the past" in his 22 months in office.
Lawmakers backing the motion denied any ulterior motives, but also suggested Fani was using his office for political purposes.
One of them, Farhad Bashiri, said "the ministry has become the campaign headquarters of certain individuals" ahead of parliamentary elections in February next year.
Parliament last August successfully impeached then-science minister Reza Faraji Dana who had been accused of appointing officials to his cabinet who participated in the June 2009 sedition.
Under the Iranian Constitution, lawmakers can impeach a minister when they deem it necessary.
The minister must appear on parliament floor within ten days after the submission of the impeachment motion to answer the questions raised by legislators, give explanation on his performance and seek a vote of confidence.