Tehran, July 12: With Iran’s president set for major reshuffles in his new cabinet, the Expediency Council moves to ban individuals from being a member of the country’s Guardian Council and having posts in government entities at the same time.
Under the new legislation approved by the Expediency Council, being a member of the Guardian Council is considered as having a governmental post and therefore individuals who already hold a position in other administration organizations have to step down from one of their positions.
Should the cited members of the Guardian Council refrain from resigning from their posts within two months of the ratification of this law, they will be automatically removed from their posts at the Guardian Council, read a statement by the Expediency Council.
The new ruling comes as under Iranian law, individuals are banned from having two governmental posts.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government spokesman, Gholamhossein Elham who also hold the position of Justice Minister and Ebrahim Azizi deputy head of the presidential office for human resources are among government officials that should relinquish one of their positions in the Guardian Council or the government.
Earlier last year, the Iranian parliament’s decision to pass the new legislation provoked criticism in the Guardian Council with its members arguing that the newly-approved law is against the Constitution of the Islamic Republic.
—–Agencies