November 15-2013
President Rohani’s third nominee for sports minister was rejected by the Majlis Sunday, as legislators seemed to be going after the new president.
The Ministry of Sports and Youth is the only cabinet post that is unfilled. It is, however, considered the least significant cabinet post, and many have argued it should not even be a cabinet position.
Nasrollah Sajjadi was Rohani’s third nominee for the post. On Sunday, 124 deputies voted for him and 107 opposed him with 22 deputies abstaining. Even though he got the support of the majority, the Islamic Republic counts abstentions as no votes. Thus Sajjadi got the backing of just 49 percent of those present and voting, going down to defeat.
In the debate on Sajjadi, he was criticized for his advanced age and for lacking a comprehensive plan for the ministry in his presentation to the Majlis.
There are 18 cabinet positions. Nominees for 15 posts were approved August 15, but three were rejected, including Masud Soltanifar for the Sports Ministry.
On October 27, the three replacement nominees were voted on, with two being approved and Reza Salehi-Amiri rejected for sports minister, with critics saying he lacked experience in the field.
Rohani then nominated Sajjadi, who has spent almost his entire career in sports administration.
Immediately after Sajjadi’s rejection, Rohani submitted his fourth nomination for the position, Mahmud Gudarzi, who has been the dean of the School of Physical Education and Sport Sciences at the University of Tehran since 2008.