Iranian MPs disagree over questioning of president in Parliament

14:15 - 13 March 2012
KURDPA - Seven Iranian MPs want to tone down Parliament\'s stance regarding irregularities in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad\'s administration, proposing that the president\'s questioning by Parliament on March 14 be changed to a \"mutual exchange\" to \"discuss\" current problems.
In a statement issued by a number of MPs, including Ahmad Tavakoli, Elias Naderan and Zohreh Elahian, the lawmakers say they are concerned that despite good will on both sides, the questioning session will become charged with political agendas.

They write that questioning the president may become \"an excuse for the sworn enemies of the Iranian nation to rise up after the heavy blow they were dealt in the recent parliamentary elections and begin targeting Parliament and the government with their poisonous arrows.\"

It\'s been several months since a motion was introduced to question the president about certain irregularities in his behaviour and the actions of his administration. Since then, the motion has been delayed by several obstacles. While the signatories claim the president should be made answerable regarding the misconduct of his administration and his own resistance against the order of the Supreme Leader, others fear that he might use the opportunity to reveal scandalous truths about the establishment that would be harmful to the regime in general.

The signatories of the motion to question the president say the procedure should not be blown out of proportion and must be carried out like any other business of Parliament.