Ahmadinejad defends Cabinet choices

TEHRAN, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave a prime-time television endorsement of Cabinet nominees prior to what analysts say will be a confirmation battle.

Ahmadinejad, dogged by political unrest since the June 12 presidential election, used an interview Thursday to blunt talk that some of his 21 nominees would be rejected by the Parliament and others' backgrounds would be scrutinized, The Los Angeles Times reported.

During the interview, Ahmadinejad said many of his nominees were loyal to him.

"Some people suggested that such-and-such person is capable but he does not agree with you," he said. "I say ... the Cabinet ministers must be in coordination with the president so that we create synergy."

The Parliament's deputy speaker predicted at least five of the 21 nominees would be rejected, and at least three are unknown, the Times said. Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani specifically expressed doubts about Ahmadinejad's nominee to head the Intelligence Ministry, a loyalist who campaigned for the president.

"Mr. Ahmadinejad has not consulted the specialized committees in Parliament prior to announcing the list of his Cabinet ministers on Wednesday," lawmaker Mohammad Hassan Aboutorabi-Fard said on state-run TV. "Getting confidence votes for them will be difficult."

In the interview, Ahmadinejad praised his nominees, who include three women.

"Why shouldn't women be in (the Cabinet)?" he said. "For 30 years they weren't there. Who said that women aren't better? There's no harm in women entering service areas, like ministries."