Iran deputies seek to question president over ‘illegal’ actions

Bloomberg: Iranian members of parliament are renewing a bid to summon President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for questioning over some of his policies, the state-run Mehr news agency reported.

Bloomberg

By Ladane Nasseri

Iranian members of parliament are renewing a bid to summon President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for questioning over some of his policies, the state-run Mehr news agency reported.

The move comes following recent reports of a rift between Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — the country’s highest authority — over the resignation of the intelligence minister. Ahmadinejad, who had been absent from official meetings for a week, denied there were conflicts when he returned to work on May 2, without explaining his absence.

Some 90 lawmakers have signed a petition demanding Ahmadinejad be summoned to Parliament, the report said. The petition needs to be submitted to Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani before it can be considered. At least one fourth of the 290 members of parliament must sign the document.

Lawmakers also attempted to force a debate in November.

“Lawmakers decided today to put the petition back on the table in light of recent events,” the state-run news agency reported. They also want to question him over proposed funding for the Tehran Urban and Suburban Railway Co., Mehr said.

Mohsen Hashemi, the son of former president Ali Akbar Hahemi Rafsanjani, stepped down earlier this year as managing director of the railway, citing “restrictions” that prevented him from carrying out his duties and a lack of funding from the government.