The Iranian Parliament has begun examining the cabinet nominees proposed by President Masoud Pezeshkian, with discussions expected to continue until Wednesday.
The current atmosphere in the parliament reflects a mixed reception to the proposed cabinet, with some tension and dissent emerging.
During the first session on Saturday, there was minimal opposition to the cabinet as a whole. However, significant criticism came from Mohammad Qasim Osmani, a Sunni representative from Bukan, who expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of Sunni representation in the proposed cabinet.
Osmani accused Pezeshkian of failing to honor his promise to include Sunni ministers, which he argued undermines the cabinet’s credibility.
The atmosphere in the parliament was also influenced by Pezeshkian's own statements. Mehdi Kochzadeh, the representative of Tehran, highlighted the lack of a concrete program from the government.
Pezeshkian himself struggled during the session, acknowledging difficulties in his presentation and spending much of his time defending the cabinet to the MPs rather than addressing the critiques directly.
The first day of discussions saw no resolution on the vote of confidence for the controversial ministers, contributing to a relatively calm yet uneasy atmosphere.
The morning session turned contentious with Osmani’s remarks, as he criticized the cabinet for not including Sunni elites and accused Pezeshkian of failing to deliver on promises to both women and Sunnis.
His speech, which drew audible opposition from some representatives, underscored the dissatisfaction among certain parliamentary factions.
In response to Osmani's criticisms, Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and other parliamentarians accused him of exacerbating polarization and responded with sharp language.
Osmani's critique extended to the lack of appointments for Sunnis and the failure to name any female or Kurdish governors, reflecting ongoing concerns about diversity and representation within the government.
During President Hassan Rouhani's tenure, despite Ali Younesi’s efforts as a special assistant for ethnic and religious minority affairs, significant appointments of Sunnis or women to high-level positions remained limited.
For instance, Bijan Zanganeh was notable for appointing Emad Hosseini, a former Sunni representative, as a deputy minister, and Marzieh Shahadaei became the first woman to hold a deputy ministerial position in the oil sector after the 1979 revolution.
During the afternoon session of Parliament, the focus shifted to the proposed ministers of Education and Communication.
Alireza Kazemi, nominated for Minister of Education, faced no significant opposition. Some controversy arose due to reports linking him to Mohammad Kazemi, the head of the IRGC Intelligence Organization, though others insist Kazemi's nomination is unrelated to his brother's position.
The absence of serious dissent could be attributed to the same fear that previously stifled opposition to ministers of Intelligence.
Despite longstanding issues within the Ministry of Education and previous failed nominations, no representatives voiced objections to Kazemi.
He has been serving as the acting head of the Ministry after the Parliament rejected Hossein Baghgoli, the initial nominee under President Ebrahim Raisi. Kazemi previously served as the educational and cultural deputy in Hassan Rouhani's administration.
The nomination of Satar Hashemi as Minister of Communications and Information Technology, a highly controversial position due to issues with internet filtering, also drew attention.
The Cultural Committee, led by Morteza Agha Tehrani, opposed Hashemi’s nomination, while Hamid Rasaei ambiguously compared him to past ministers like Mohammed Javad Azari Jahromi and Mahmoud Vaezi.
Support from Mojtaba Zulnouri, a representative from Qom, for Hashemi was unexpected, with some attributing it to ethnic or personal reasons. Zulnouri's support contrasts with his previous alignment with figures like Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf rather than Saeed Jalili.
The upcoming sessions will address more contentious nominations, including Ahmad Meydari, Abbas Salehi, Abdolnaser Hemmati, and Reza Salehi Amiri, who are expected to face greater scrutiny.
Abbas Araghchi faces significant opposition in parliament due to his involvement in the 2015 nuclear deal. However, his critics are also aware that his selection was made with the input, or at least the approval, of Ali Khamenei.
Mohammedreza Zafarqandi has faced resistance due to his past support for Mir Hossein Mousavi.
Despite being associated with the leftist movement, he has received backing from Alireza Marandi, Supreme Leader Ali Khamnei's special doctor.
Ismail Khatib’s nomination as Minister of Intelligence has also stirred controversy. During the nomination period, opposition from Stability Front members like Hossein Jalali contrasted with support from Mojtaba Zulnouri.
Historical patterns suggest that while some ministers may face a vote of no confidence, the likelihood of widespread rejection in the current Parliament seems limited based on initial observations.
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