Majlis Issues First Subpoena of a Cabinet Minister

Rooz Online

Less than five months into Hassan Rouhani’s administration, 60 parliamentarians in the Majlis signed a resolution subpoenaing a cabinet minister to respond to their questioning.

The letter that explains the subpoena of Iran’s minister of industries Mohammad-Reza Nematzadeh cited “the bazaar’s messy condition, closure of industrial units, unregulated imports, use of retired and questionable managers and ultimately the invitations to car manufacturers such as Peugeot despite the company’s massive damage to the country because of its support of Western voluntary sanctions and the close ties of the French government with Israel in the Geneva talks.”

Amid this resolution, government spokesman Mohammad-Bagher Nobakht said the “government was acting cautiously in its relations with the Majlis” and characterized the relations between the two branches of government as “positive.” He said, “We respond to the repeated questions that are raised of cabinet ministers, some of which are normal while others related to the past, with patience. We laud Majlis’s cooperation with the government. Issues that some consider important will be certainly judged by the public which skillfully watches (the country’s) issues.”

Earlier, after Nematzadeh appeared at Majlis’s agricultural committee to discuss the non-implementation of a law that provided for the transfer of some responsibilities of the ministry of industries to the ministry of Agricultural Jihad, a lawmaker, Nasser Salehinasab, had announced that the plan to subpoena the minister was put on hold.

Ali Iranpoor, a member of the agriculture committee of the Majlis has earlier said, “There has been talk in recent days of subpoenaing the minister of industries and some 63 signatures had been obtained for this. But in view of today’s meeting and because most of the signatories are members of the agriculture committee, the subpoena will most likely be put on hold. The suspension is valid for one month until when the transfer of duties provisions are implemented.”

Mohammad Biatian, another MP disagreed and said, “The number of individuals who had rescinded their signatures from the subpoena resolution were only about 24. Even if all the signatures of those who are in the agriculture committee are rescinded, there would still remain 40 signatures, which means that the subpoena remains in effect.”

If the subpoena is not suspended, then Nematzadeh will be the first cabinet minister in Rouhani’s administration who will be grilled by the parliament. It has been very rare that a minister was subpoenaed to the parliament less than five months in the past.

MPs had however called in cabinet ministers such as Javad Zarif, Mahmoud Alavi and Ali-Asqar Fani to respond to specific questions and explain their policies earlier, but this is the first official subpoena that may or may not go through.

But the plan to subpoena Nematzadeh has not been without criticism from other MPs. For example, Hossein Garoosi, a member of the industries committee called the move “premature,” especially as the budget for next year had not yet been approved. He defended Nematzadeh’s short record.

Nematzadeh also met some criticism when he was first nominated and presented to the Majlis for approval. His opponents cited his old age (he is 68 years old) and past record as reasons for their opposition. Nematzadeh had been the minister of industries in earlier administrations and is considered by some to be very knowledgeable in the field, which is why Rouhani returned him to resolve some of the issues that have been gaining momentum because of international sanctions and managerial issues. He has also held other cabinet and senior posts in the Islamic republic such as being a deputy at the ministry of oil and refinery company. His criticism of Ahmadinejad administration’s policy resulted in his dismissal from the oil ministry during Ahmadinejad’s presidency.