Iran’s Majlis starts impeachment proceedings against commerce minister

07 May 2008
The Majlis, Iran’s parliament, has started impeachment proceedings against the commerce minister, Massoud Mir-Kazemi.

The parliamentarians backing the impeachment said that Mir-Kazemi had allowed “excessive” imports of sugar into the country resulting in Iranian farmers suffering financial losses.

They accused the minister of failing to enforce tariffs on imports of sugar, rice and mobile phones over the last two years.

The tariffs were set out in Iran’s last two budget laws.

Mir-Kazemi was accused of allowing food prices to rise because he followed the “wrong” commercial policies.

Inflation in Iran was estimated at 19 per cent for the Iranian year to the end of March.

Under Iran’s constitution, Mir-Kazemi has to attend an impeachment hearing in the Majlis within the next 10 days.

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