Impeachment of minister blow to Iran’s president

IRAN’S parliament sacked the interior minister yesterday in a blow to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ahead of next year’s presidential election.

MPs voted overwhelmingly to remove Ali Kordan, whose job is crucial in organising the 2009 race, accusing him of forging his degree from Britain’s Oxford University.

His impeachment was part of a power struggle between hardline backers of Ahmadinejad and his opponents, including reformers and moderate conservatives who blame the government for the failing economy, political analysts said.

Kordan last month admitted holding a fake degree from Oxford although he said he had been duped.

Signatories to the impeachment motion said Kordan could no longer be trusted as interior minister, a post that would put him directly in charge of the June 2009 presidential election.

After six hours of heated debate, 188 of the 247 parliamentarians present voted to unseat Kordan, citing “lack of honesty in submitting educational credentials” and “deceiving lawmakers”.

They comfortably met the majority required.

Analysts said the impeachment showed Ahmadinejad was losing popularity even among some of his hardline backers.

“Only 45 lawmakers voted in favour of Kordan. It shows how conservative parliamentarians are losing faith in Ahmadinejad,” said one political analyst, who asked not to be named.