Iran’s parliament has halted impeachment proceedings against several cabinet ministers, a member of the parliament’s presiding board said on Monday, citing guidance from the Supreme Leader to support the administration.
Alireza Salimi said the impeachment process had been suspended but not removed from the parliamentary agenda, according to comments reported by the Tasnim news agency.
He said the decision was taken in light of remarks by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei calling for cooperation with the government and urging the executive branch to intensify efforts to address the country’s problems.
Salimi said parliament would continue its oversight role and would monitor the government’s performance closely, adding that lawmakers could resume using supervisory tools if the cabinet failed to meet expectations.
According to Tasnim, impeachment motions against the ministers of labor, oil, roads and urban development, energy, culture and Islamic guidance, sports, and agriculture had been referred to the presiding board. Proposals to impeach the ministers of industry and higher education had also been registered and were in the signature-gathering stage.
Separately, an impeachment motion against Labor Minister Ahmad Meydari was referred last week to parliament’s social affairs committee for review, Tasnim reported.
The move comes as protests that began over economic grievances have evolved into calls for regime change, with the country still largely under an internet blackout and reports of more than 12,000 people killed in the ensuing crackdown.
