TEHRAN, Nov 9: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suffered a sharp setback on Wednesday when his nominee for oil minister withdrew in the face of criticism from lawmakers about his wealth and lack of experience.

The withdrawal of Sadeq Mahsouli, a former Revolutionary Guards comrade of the president, adds domestic embarrassment to the storm Ahmadinejad has caused abroad by calling for Israel to be ‘wiped off the map’.

The new president has staked his political reputation on putting his close allies from the conservative religious camp into the Islamic Republic’s most prestigious jobs.

“I would prefer the nomination of someone else for this great responsibility who would win more votes,” Mahsouli said in a letter to Ahmadinejad, read out by Parliament Speaker Gholamali Haddadadel.

Mahsouli’s withdrawal will bring further disarray to oil policy in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ second biggest exporter.

He was the second oil ministry nominee presented to parliament by Ahmadinejad. The first, Ali Saeedlou, was rejected along with three other ministerial picks in August.

Ahmadinejad’s nominees for the education, welfare and co-operatives ministries all comfortably won their votes of confidence in Wednesday’s session, softening the blow.—Reuters