Former MP explains why Rouhani's candidates for ministries to be approved

Azerbaijan, Baku Aug. 12 / Trend, D. Khatinoglu The candidates for Iranian ministries by new president Hassan Rouhani will be approved by the parliament, country's former reformist MP Rajabali Mazrouei told Trend. A former member of Iranian parliament's Planning and Budget Commission noted that Rouhani's choices for ministry posts are efficient, and they will get approved in the parliament. Regarding forecasts by some Iranian media outlets about 20 percent of Rouhani's candidates not being approved, Mazrouei said that those who oppose Rouhani's candidates mainly belong to parliament's extremist groups, such as Paydari front. "Such groups were supportive of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and they were heavily defeated during the last presidential elections. They are a minority in the parliament, and their votes will not play a significant role. The majority of the parliament doesn't go in line with them." He also went on to note, that some media organizations in Iran support extremists, however they don't have the influence to affect the majority of the Iranian parliament. Mazrouei explained that Rouhani's proposed candidates will probably be approved, since about 140 MPs have registered to speech in support of Rouhani's candidates, while some 15-16 MPs registered to oppose the president's choice. "This means that the candidates would obtain confidence votes of Iranian MPs," he said. Earlier on Monday, Rouhani was speaking at the country's parliament, defending his list of candidates for the ministries' posts. It should be noted that Rouhani's nominees will be discussed and assessed by the parliament on Aug. 15, after which the decision will be made on which candidates have been approved. Rouhani won the presidential elections in Iran on June 14, securing over 50 percent of total votes in the country. On August 4, he went through the swearing-in ceremony, and was officially pronounced the new president of Iran.