TEHRAN, Sept 3 Iran's parliament strongly backed on Thursday a cabinet proposed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that included the Islamic republic's first woman minister.
The conservative-dominated assembly approved 18 of 21 nominees, propelling Mr Ahmadinejad into his second term at a time when the country is battling its worst crisis since the incumbent's re-election in June.The candidates who failed to garner the required majority of votes were the two other women proposed and the would-be energy minister.
In a move highlighting Iran's often maverick status in the world, nearly 80 per cent of lawmakers approved Ahmad Vahidi — wanted by Argentina for a 1994 bombing in Buenos Aires — as defence minister.
Following the vote, Mr Vahidi said his selection, which was by a far greater margin than any other, was a “decisive slap to Israel,” an arch-enemy of the country.
The first woman to join the cabinet will be Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi who will head the health ministry.
A gynaecologist and two-time former MP, Dastjerdi, 50, was approved despite never having held an executive job in government. Tellingly, she is not a well-known public figure, but she has a reputation as an excellent gynaecologist.
Dastjerdi has a background in medical administration and has run Tehran's Arash hospital, which specialises in women's diseases and obstetrics, since 2004. She was also on the board of directors of the family planning association between 1994 and 2001. Dastjerdi is known to be politically on the conservative side, but has taken a strong stand in favour of women in society.
Dastjerdi described her selection as an “important step” for Iranian women. “I think today women reached their long-standing dream of having a woman in the cabinet to pursue their demands,” she told the parliamentary news service soon after the vote.
“This is an important step for women and I hold my head high.”
The other two women, Sousan Keshvaraz and Fatemeh Ajorlou, fell short of the required number of votes to take over at education and at welfare and social security. But oil ministry nominee Masoud Mirkazemi, who is set to head the crucial portfolio of Opec's second largest exporter, barely squeaked by after being harshly criticised by a powerful conservative MP.
The voting took place after five days of heated debate saw some key nominees strongly opposed by MPs, yet approved in the end.
Ahead of the vote, President Ahmadinejad appealed to parliament to approve his team, saying this would deliver a 'punch' to Iran's enemies.
Hailing the 'free and open' debate, he said this proved that real democracy existed in Iran.—AFP
