New oil minister wins parliamentary approval

15 November 2007

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s choice of oil minister has won approval from the Iranian parliament, with a comfortable majority of votes.

Gholam-Hossein Nozari won the backing of 217 of the 246 members of the Majlis who voted
Hossein Afarideh, a member of the Majlis’ energy committee, said Nozari was “more efficient in executive terms and more firm in making decisions” than his predecessor Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh who resigned in August.
Vaziri-Hamaneh was believed to have disagreed with Ahmadinejad’s plans to make widespread management changes in Iran’s oil sector.
Ahmadinejad has recently called for a campaign against corruption in the sector.
The Majlis also approved Ahmadinejad’s nominee as Industry Minister, Ali-Akbar Mehrabian, after a closer vote.
Mehrabian’s ministry controls Iran’s car, steel, copper and cement industries.

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