Majlis speaker censures Mottaki removal

Sun Dec 19, 2010

Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani has criticized the way of removing former Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki while he was on a trip in Senegal.

Larijani said dismissing the foreign minister when he was on a diplomatic mission was not a proper move.

He added that such a move will lead to inappropriate judgments about the country, IRNA quoted him as saying during a Majlis open session on Sunday.

Larijani pointed out that if there were plans to remove Mottaki, “this should have been done in a more prudent manner, while respecting his dignity.”

The Parliament speaker expressed appreciation for Mottaki's services during his five-year tenure.

On December 13, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed Mottaki from his post and appointed Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi as the country's caretaker foreign minister.

The former foreign minister did not attend Tuesday's inauguration ceremony of his replace, Ali Akbar Salehi.

This is the first reshuffle in President Ahmadinejad's second term in office, which began in 2009.

The Iranian chief executive replaced 12 of his cabinet ministers during his first tenure from 2005 to 2009.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156134.html.