TEHRAN – Majlis speaker Ali Larijani has welcomed a recent proposal put forward by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad which calls for regular meetings between cabinet members and lawmakers.

“I welcome Mr. Ahmadinejad’s idea about formulating new mechanisms for (increasing) coordination between the branches of the government,” Larijani stated in a joint press conference with the president on Thursday shortly before lawmakers cast their confirmation votes on the ministerial nominations.
Larijani also said “37 to 38 hours” of discussions on the ministerial nominations were held and 128 MPs expressed their views on the cabinet nominees’ plans and qualifications.
This shows that lawmakers with different views had the chance to have their say, he stated.
On Thursday, after five days of examinations the 295-member parliament finally approved the qualifications of 18 ministerial nominees and rejected three candidates for the post of education, welfare, and energy ministers.
Larijani went on to say that in the last few days certain Western political experts sought to create a rift between lawmakers.
However, he said, “The country’s officials may have different views but as far as defending the national interests, Islam, and the Islamic thought are concerned, they are united.”
During the press conference, Ahmadinejad said a new chapter of cooperation between the administration and the parliament has begun.
“We expect that all nominees will be approved,” he added.
Ahmadinejad said he was completely free to select his ministers and after various examinations and consultation he introduced a harmonious and competent cabinet to the parliament.
Although the administration is widely criticized for economic issues, during the discussions in Majlis, none of the MPs made any statement against Economy Minister Shamsodin Hosseini who was re-nominated for the post.
If there was any problem in the economic sphere, the MPs would have criticized the economy minister and this shows that the parliament approves the administration’s economic policies, the president added