Iran’s supervisory legal authority, the Guardian Council, signaled that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s assumption of control over the oil ministry violates the constitution, state-run Fars news agency reported.
The council said that Article 135 of Iran’s constitution prohibits the president from acting as oil minister, Fars reported, adding that the council has yet to release its legal verdict on the matter.
Ahmadinejad declared himself caretaker of the oil ministry in a May 15 interview on state television, a day after dismissing Masoud Mir-Kazemi and two other ministers as part of a plan to combine several departments.
Article 135 requires that ministers dismissed by the president remain in their position until a replacement is appointed, according to Fars. The president is allowed to select a temporary caretaker for departments without a minister, for a period of up to three months, it said.
Ahmadinejad will attend the June 8 gathering of the 12- member Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries in Vienna, Fars said on May 18, citing Iran’s Vice-President for Parliamentary Affairs Mohammad Reza Mir-Tajeddini.
Iran also holds the presidency of OPEC this year.
Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-05-20/iran-guardians-call-ahmadinejad-s-oil-ministry-role-unlawful-.html
