Ahmadinejad to unveil new cabinet today

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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose disputed re-election plunged the nation into its worst crisis since the Islamic revolution, is to unveil his cabinet on Wednesday facing a dogged opposition and challenges from within his own hardline support base.

He already announced six names on Sunday and said he planned to have at least three women in his 21-member government, the first to serve in the 30-year existence of the Islamic republic.

But some of his proposed appointments have already run into objections from MPs, who have complained that he needs to consult them more and ensure his ministers have the right experience and credentials.

"From the six people named, we can assume the cabinet will not have the calibre required for an efficient government and this is not a good sign," influential conservative MP Ahmad Tavakoli was quoted as saying by a news agency.

"In this list there are people who have never recorded a day of executive work," he charged.

Ahmadinejad has already been shaken by the massive opposition protests to his June re-election and a dispute with some hardliners over his political choices, which has exposed rifts among the ruling elite.

Tags: Iran

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