iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
While parents acknowledge the importance of safety as a result of inclement weather, they also expressed disquiet about extended holidays
KT APPDOWNLOAD
Iran arrests one of Ahmadinejad entourage
TEHERAN — Iran has arrested a former member of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s entourage recently forced out of a diplomatic post by conservative lawmakers, Fars news agency and a judiciary source said on Thursday.
‘Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh was arrested several hours ago,’ Fars said without naming its source or elaborating, while the judiciary source confirmed the arrest and state television said the judiciary ‘will soon issue a statement.’
He ‘was arrested today (Thursday) because of financial charges and numerous (other) cases in the judiciary,’ influential MP and member of parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission Esmaeel Kosari told the Mehr news agency.
Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi appointed Malekzadeh as deputy foreign minister last Saturday but was forced to accept his resignation three days later after MPs launched proceedings to impeach Salehi for making the appointment.
Before his short-lived tenure at the foreign ministry, Malekzadeh was a senior official in the high council of Iranian foreign affairs, run by Ahmadinejad’s chief of staff Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie, whom conservatives accuse of leading a ‘current of deviation’ aimed at undermining the Islamic regime.
The parliamentarians maintained that Malekzadeh has a number of legal cases pending against him concerning ‘financial and non-financial’ issues, and that he is ‘from the deviation circle.’
Conservatives, the Shia clergy and the elite Revolutionary Guards have repeatedly called for Mashaie’s dismissal, accusing him of being too liberal, too nationalist and of exerting too much influence over the president.
Ahmadinejad has so far adamantly defended his aides, including Mashaie.
The rift between Ahmadinejad and the conservatives surfaced in mid-April when he challenged a ruling by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who vetoed a decision by the president to sack Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi.
Ahmadinejad withdrew from public life for 10 days, igniting a bitter dispute with the conservatives supporting the supreme leader. Khamenei has since repeatedly urged all factions to rein in attacks on the president and his aides.
More news from
World number one Swiatek extended her run at the tournament to 10-0 as she brushed aside Briton Raducanu
The incident happened shortly after jury selection for the hush-money trial was completed
MS Dhoni's cameo in vain as five-time champions dealt thrid loss but hold on to third place in the standings
Roads and Transport Authority has been working round the clock to carry out maintenance work
Through this collaboration, Partisia Blockchain Foundation is set to discover and support the next generation of Web3 innovators
Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi reiterated the GCC's firm position supporting Palestinian people's right to self-determination and establishment of an independent state
As part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, food, shelter tents, and basic supplies were provided to Palestinian families
