Iranian parliament approves almost all of Raisi's proposed ministers

The Iranian parliament on Wednesday gave its vote of confidence to all but one of the ministers proposed by President Ebrahim Raisi to form his conservative government, whose foreign minister is the veteran Hosein Amir Abdolahian.

Eighteen of the candidates, with the exception of the nominee for education minister, Hosein Baghgoli, who lacks experience in the sector, were approved by the conservative-dominated House, which began its evaluation on the 14th.

Before the vote, Raisi explained that "the most important criteria" in selecting his Cabinet members were "efficiency, experience and honesty", as well as a clean record of corruption. 

"I will not give up the fight against corruption," the president pledged in his speech, in which he stressed the need for cooperation between his administration and parliament in the face of the challenges facing Iran under US sanctions.

The ultra-conservative cleric has chosen ministers with conservative leanings and experience in the political and military arena, including no women as is customary in Iran.

Abdolahian, the new chief diplomat, was formerly deputy foreign minister for African and Arab affairs and, until now, adviser to the speaker of parliament on international affairs.

He won overwhelming support in parliament: 270 votes in favour, ten against and six abstentions. 

Iran's foreign policy and Abdolahian's likely hardline approach worry the West, as negotiations to bring both Washington and Tehran back to their commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal are on hold.

In charge of the key oil ministry is former National Gas Company CEO Yavad Ouyi, who was approved with 198 votes in favour, 70 against and 18 abstentions, although he drew criticism from some parliamentarians.

During the previous deliberations, one of the MPs alleged that Ouyi has nine real estate properties, but has only declared ownership of three, and that he was linked to a corruption case in the oil sector during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency.

Several of Raisi's picks, including new interior minister Ahmad Vahidi and roads minister Rostam Qasemi, were in fact ministers under the ultra-conservative Ahmadinejad (2005-2013). 

Vahidi, who was approved with 266 votes in favour, is a former commander of the Revolutionary Guards and defence minister from 2009 to 2013, whom Argentina's judiciary has linked to the 1994 AMIA bombing that killed 85 people.

In addition, the president today appointed by decree the former commander of the Revolutionary Guards and secretary of the Discernment Council, Mohsen Rezai, as vice president for economic affairs.

Raisi, a cleric and former head of the judiciary who has been sanctioned by the United States, was sworn in as president on 5 June after winning almost 62% of the vote in June's elections, which were marked by low turnout.