Tehran: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday sacked the head of Iran`s National Youth Organisation
and appointed a woman to the cabinet post, official media
reported.
Ahmadinejad removed Mehrdad Bazrpash and named
Farahnaz Torkestani as the head of the National Youth
Organisation, the official IRNA news agency said.
As such, Torkestani also becomes one of Iran`s 12 vice
presidents.
She is the fourth woman to join the government, which
includes a woman Health Minister and two female vice
presidents for legal affairs and science and technology.
The report did not give a reason for the dismissal,
the second in a week following the dismissal last Tuesday of
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.
Iran`s atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi was sworn in as
new Foreign Minister on Saturday.
Unlike cabinet ministers, vice presidents are not
subject to a parliamentary vote of confidence.
Women joined the Iranian cabinet as vice presidents
first under the reformist presidency of Mohammad Khatami, from
1997 to 2005, to widespread criticism from conservative
clerics.
Ahmadinejad`s first administration, from 2005 to 2009,
saw numerous reshuffles and several ministers were sacked over
disagreements with the president, especially over issues
related to the economy.
PTI
