Tehran: Iran's hardline President has sharply criticised his rivals in Parliament for seeking to curb his powers to appoint the central bank governor.
New legislation approved in November by the conservative-dominated Parliament requires approval of the legislature for appointing the central bank governor. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called it heresy and said it violated the Constitution.
The legislation has been blocked by a powerful constitutional watchdog called the Guardian Council, which needed to approve it to become law.
Ahmad Tavakoli, a conservative lawmaker, says Ahmadinejad's comments were an attempt to overshadow his mismanagement of the economy.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 09:55