Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sacked four ministers just days before he is due to announce his new cabinet line-up, local news agencies reported Sunday. Those sacked are Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Mohammad-Hossein Saffar-Harandi, Labour and Social Affairs Minister Mohammad Jahromi, Health Minister Kamran Baqeri Lankarani and Intelligence Minister Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie, the agencies said. Ejeie was sacked “following a verbal quarrel between the intelligence minister and the president in Wednesday's cabinet meeting over the appointment of (Esfandiar Rahim) Mashaie,” the Mehr news agency said while also reporting the sacking of the other three ministers. Mashaie stepped down as first vice president on Saturday after supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Ahmadinejad his decision to appoint his controversial aide as his new deputy would cause “division and frustration.” Ahmadinejad was re-elected president last month but opposition leaders claim the vote was rigged and say they will refuse to recognize his new government, which is due to be appointed by next month. Saffar-Harandi was editor-in-chief of the hardline Kayhan newspaper before being appointed as culture minister by Ahmadinejad. Agencies also said that Mohammad-Ali Khajehpiri has been appointed caretaker minister in the place of Saffar-Harandi. Khajehpiri is director of the ministry's Qur'an Activities Center, Fars said. “This decree has been given to me newly and I will serve in this position (caretaker) until new minister of culture and guidance is appointed,” Khajehpiri told the ISNA agency.
