Iranian Reformist MPs under fire for confirming conservative ministers

On Aug. 20, the Iranian parliament voted to approve all of moderate President Hassan Rouhani’s proposed ministers — except for one Reformist minister. This has drawn the ire of Reformist activists who now slam Omid (Hope), the sole Reformist faction in parliament, for its “disappointing” performance during the votes of confidence for Rouhani’s second-term Cabinet.

The only proposed minister who did not obtain a vote of confidence was Habibollah Bitaraf, a Reformist figure who served as energy minister during President Mohammad Khatami’s second term (2001-2005). This has led some Reformist activists to accuse Reformist members of parliament of blackmailing the proposed minister, claiming that Bitaraf refused to accept certain requests by parliamentarians. Javad Emam, a Reformist figure close to Khatami, tweeted Aug. 21, “[The] not giving a confidence vote to Bitaraf is the result of [his] honesty, being uncorrupt and his negative answer to the requests of the gentlemen T, V, H, N.” By “T, V, H, N,” Emam meant four senior members of the Omid faction, namely Gholamreza Tajgardoon, Mohammad Ali Vakili, Elyas Hazrati and Ali Nobakht.