Iranian leader faces crisis

IRAN’S novice President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad named an obscure figure as oil minister yesterday, risking a domestic political storm after already stirring one abroad with his call for Israel’s destruction.

Parliamentarians signalled they could veto Sadeq Mahsouli’s appointment to run the oil portfolio, just as they threw out an attempt to place a close ally in charge of the ministry in August.

Mr Ahmadinejad’s three-month-old government also faced sharp criticism from reformists for its decision to recall dozens of experienced ambassadors at a time of heightened international concern over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

A diplomat in Europe said Iran would start processing a new batch of uranium next week, despite pressure from the United States and European Union to halt all sensitive nuclear work.

Iran froze all activity at its Isfahan plant last year under a deal with France, Britain and Germany, but resumed work there in August, prompting the EU trio to suspend talks with Tehran.

Political heavyweights, including former presidents Mohammad Khatami and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, have rebuked Mr Ahmadinejad for stoking Western pressure. Analysts said it was not clear whether Ahmadinejad enjoyed the support of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who recently handed far-reaching supervisory powers to the more pragmatic Mr Rafsanjani.