Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will nominate a new oil minister on 24 July.

Ahmadinejad indicated that the current caretaker oil minister Mohammad Aliabadi would be put forward for the role.

Members of parliament criticised Ahmadinejad when he sacked former oil minister Massoud Mirkazemi and temporarily appointed himself as caretaker of the oil ministry.

How parliament responds to his nomination will be a major test of his authority in the assembly, where many called for his impeachment in June (MEED 22:6:11).

Parliament will vote to approve the nominated candidates within a week of the nomination.

Ahmadinejad will nominate a total of four ministers for positions, including minister of industry, mines and trade, minister of cooperatives, labour and social affairs and the minister for sports and youth.

Ahmadinejad’s plans to merge the oil and energy ministries have been put on hold.