In his impeachment session, Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Reza Fatemi Amin in defense of his performance said: “Today we need unity, we compensate with empathy.”

Referring to the false news published in recent days about handing over the car to the MPs during his previous impeachment, the minister said: “Fatemi Amin is not infected with corruption!”

He added: I am in the position of execution and your representatives are in the position of supervision, and if my answers are not convincing, I will hand over the position to the next soldier.

Referring to the issue of cars Fatemi Amin said: The car industry of the country is in bad condition, we are now in the middle of the way and we have reached good places.

Fatemi Amin said: “The car industry has many problems, but today its price is more noticeable. Car production has decreased and increased at times due to sanctions, which means that the enemy knows that cars have wide economic dimensions.”

In defense of Fatemi Amin and addressing the Majlis, President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi said that his presence at the parliament signals that the impeachment is not the manifestation of difference and deep disagreement but the sign of responsibility.

The President said that his presence is because of the fact that the impeachment of a given minister might be interpreted by some groups as the manifestation of deep disagreement.

Raisi went on to stress that he is grateful to those who saw the impeachment as part of their responsibility.

He added: “We agree with the Parliament on some issues.”

He noted: The point of agreement between the parliament and the government is that the situation of the car industry in the country needs to be changed.

Meanwhile in the impeachment session, lawmaker Jalil Mirmohammadi Meybodi spoke out against the impeachment of the Minister of Industry.

Meybodi argued that the impeachment does not send a message of empathy to solve the country’s problems, but instead creates further division and polarization in the Iranian political arena.

During his speech, Meybodi expressed concern about recent discussions regarding the government’s automobile, mining, and production statistics, as well as export data. He stressed that the impeachment of the minister does not solve the country’s problems.

Other lawmakers also defended the minister’s policies and measures, emphasizing the need for empathy between the government and parliament.

Representative Seyyed Mohammad Reza Mirtaj al-Dini warned against fomenting further division in the Iranian political arena, stressing the importance of unity to move the country forward.

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IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK

TEHRAN – Majlis lawmakers gave their vote of confidence to President Hassan Rouhani’s nominee for the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, Alireza Razm-Hosseini.

During an open session of the parliament on Tuesday, Razm-Hosseini was approved with 175 in favor, 80 against and 9 abstentions.

Razm-Hosseini, a veteran of the imposed Iraqi war in the 1980s, earlier served as the governor of his birthplace Kerman province from 2013 to 2018.

President Hassan Rouhani’s previous pick for the ministry, Hossein Modarres Khiabani, had earlier failed to garner the minimum number of votes by the Parliament members for the post.

Addressing the Majlis session and before voting, Razm-Hosseini highlighted his programs and said the priority of his ministry in case he wins vote of confidence would be provision of basic and necessary goods for the public.

He added that regulation of the market through cooperation with unions and syndicates as well as reforming the policies for regulating the market would be of his major programs.

He reiterated that he would be tough on middlemanship and would combat it.

On the car market, Razm-Hosseini said that there is monopoly in the national auto industry and this industry is not competitive and the final cost of the products is high. He added that dependence of some auto parts to foreign countries and the high final cost due to fluctuation of the forex price are the other reasons for the chaos in the car market.

He also called for completion of steel chain and fair distribution in the steel industry, adding this industry needs a serious attention.

Razm-Hosseini further noted that easing the trade, barter of exported goods in exchange of goods whose imports are necessary, banning the imports of unnecessary goods, expansion of exports to neighboring states and activating the preferential trade like agreement with Eurasian Union are of other  major plans of the minister in the trade sector.

He added that breaking the monopoly in trade, industry, and imports and exports are on his agenda, reiterating combatting with corruption is a difficult job but he has plans to eliminate the golden signature which is the root of any rent-seeking and he is ready for it and attacks and defamation.

He reiterated that he would try to make all activities in the ministry a transparent one and all should work to accomplish the e-government process in the ministry in order to cut the physical contacts of people with the ministry.

The former Khorasan Razavi Province governor general added that he can apply his experience as a governor general in his job  especially in exports.

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As reported by IRIB, the meeting was attended by the representatives of the country’s major health products manufacturers as well as senior officials including the government’s spokesman Ali Rabiei.

Exploring the necessary measures which should be taken by the government and the industry ministry for countering the spread of coronavirus and supervising the production and supply of health and hygiene products were the major issues discussed in the meeting.

Earlier on Monday, Rabiei condemned any move to politicize outbreak of the coronavirus, calling on political groups, parties and media outlets to refrain from accusing baselessly the country’s Health Ministry officials.

Rabiei, Iran’s government Speakman, pointed out that the outbreak of coronavirus is a health issue and “we must trust the physicians.”

Coronavirus, known officially known as COVID-19, appeared first in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December and has since spread globally. The World Health Organization has declared it a global health emergency.

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During the visit, the foundation of the Azerbaijani-Iranian bus assembly plant will be laid in Hajigabul Industrial Site. The parts for buses will be also produced there.

The opening ceremony of the Iranian Trade Center will be held in Azerbaijan during Rahmani’s visit.

The bilateral economic and energy projects between Azerbaijan and Iran, the North-South International Transport Corridor, the Rasht-Astara railway project, the issues of cooperation in the field of holding exhibitions, signing of memorandums of cooperation will be discussed during the Iranian minister’s visit.

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The names were released to the media after many speculations that who will fill these posts.

Vice President for Parliamentary Affairs Hossein-Ali Amiri said that Rouhani will attend the Majlis when the MPs start confirmation hearings on the nominees on October 28.

“In a letter to the parliament, Rouhani proposed to appoint Farhad Dejpasand as the minister of economy; Mohammad Eslami as minister of transport and urban development; Mohammad Shariatmadari as minister of cooperatives, labor, and social welfare; and Reza Rahmani as minister of industry, mine and trade,” MP Assadollah Abbasi told reporters on the sidelines of an open session of parliament.

Labor Minister Ali Rabiee and Economy Minister Masoud Karbasian were voted out by parliament on August 8 and 26 respectively. However, Transport Minister Abbas Akhondi reportedly resigned in protest to differences with some key allies of President Rouhani.

The unemployment rate and devaluation of national currency and price hikes were cited as the main reasons for impeaching the ministers of labor and economy.

Shariatmadari, who led the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Mine until Saturday, is being nominated for labor minister.

Shariatmadari, also trade minister in the Khatami administration, is a graduate of electrical engineering from University of Kerman.

Mohammad Eslami has studied civil engineering at University of Detroit Mercy. He has held various jobs including governor of Mazandaran province.

Dejpasand is an economics professor at Beheshti University; he has also worked as deputy head of the Planning and Budget Organization among other jobs.

Rahmani has a degree in DBA (doctor of business administration) and has served as deputy minister of industry, mine and trade.

Abbas Akhoundi released his resignation letter on Saturday. The letter dated back to September 1. He cited disagreements on urban redevelopment as the main reason behind his decision.

In the letter, Akhoundi criticized the Rouhani administration’s handling of U.S. sanctions for violating the essential rights of ownership and fair competition.

He added that he had resigned on three previous occasions and asked Rouhani to accept his resignation this time.

On Saturday as he attended the unveiling ceremony of smartification projects at Imam Khomeini Airport, Akhoundi said it was his last day as minister.

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