Ahmadinejad's tenure threatened

TEHRAN, April 29 (UPI) -- Several Iranian lawmakers announced they were calling for the impeachment of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad amid Cabinet disputes.

Twelve members of the Iranian Parliament called for Ahmadinejad's impeachment, reports Radio Zamaneh, a Persian-language broadcaster in the Netherlands. Parliamentary laws stipulate that at least 10 members must sign a demand for impeachment before the matter is processed by the speaker.

Conservative members of the Iranian Parliament said Ahmadinejad wasn't following the orders of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The ruling cleric is said to have opposed a move by the president to accept the resignation of the country's intelligence minister.

Ahmadinejad issued a presidential order dismissing Manouchehr Mottaki from the position of foreign minister while Mottaki was on an official trip to Senegal in December.

Khamenei reportedly tried to block Ahmadinejad from firing Mottaki, though he had long been on the president's list of potential replacements.

The Wall Street Journal as far back as November cited unspecified "reports of challenges" to Ahmadinejad's tenure.

The reports said some lawmakers think his Cabinet "must be held accountable" to Iranian lawmakers for a "lack of transparency" that is hurting the Islamic republic.