Last week, Vice Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Reza Bahonar said it was likely that several of the proposed ministers would be rejected by the assembly.

"Some nominees amounting to five, will not receive vote of confidence, but I will give vote to majority of them," Bahonar said Sunday.

Ali Motahhari, another critic lawyer of the proposed cabinet members, also said on August 22 in Jame-e-Jam Online that "The proposed cabinet line-up is weak."

"Ahmadinejad's misinterpretation of convergence has made him look for those (nominees) who are obedient to him. Therefore, the cabinet is deprived of scholars and experts' presence," said Motahhari.

However, the hardliner Kayhan newspaper wrote on Thursday morning that "the overwhelming air in the parliament is logical and calm (toward the nominees' qualification reviews)."

Kayahan predicted that "The lawmakers probably will vote with positive subjectivity to the proposed ministerial candidates ... considering the Supreme Leader's suggestions to help the government and also considering the efficiency of the nominees."

Focusing on the different atmosphere of the parliament on the last days in comparison with the earlier days of the reviewing the qualifications of the nominees, the paper concluded that the close cooperation of the government and the parliament will provide a proper response to the country's foreign enemies and their domestic elements who, over the past month, put their utmost efforts in practice to prevent the government (of Ahmadinejad) from achieving a unified powerful configuration.

The nomination of the women for the first time by Ahmadinejad was also responded positively and as a brave move from almost all walks of the political life.

As an analyst and a political activist for women affairs and commenting on the pick of the women ministers by Ahmadinejad for the first time in the history of the Islamic Revolution over the past thirty years, Monireh Nobakht, the chief of Iran's Women's Socio-Cultural Council, said on August 29 in Jam-e-Jam Online, she considers the nomination of women for managerial positions, especially for ministerial posts, as a positive move.

Also, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the chief of Foreign Policy and National Security Commission of the parliament, commented that "The participation of women in the cabinet is an innovation ... and their capabilities can be used," the local ISNA news agency reported Saturday.

Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi, who was approved by the parliament as minister of health, became the country's first woman minister after 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Two other female nominees for education and welfare ministers were rejected by the parliament.

With the approval of the most of the proposed candidates for his new cabinet, and despite some earlier falsifications by his opponents, it seems that Ahmadinejad has overcome the crucial problems that he faced after Iran's June presidential election over the claims of the rigged election in favour of him.

Although 3 of his nominees failed to achieve the confidence vote, Ahmadinejad' administration already starts its official work confidently as Iran's next government.

The president will offer three alternative nominees to the parliament for another vote of confidence within the following weeks.

(Xinhua News Agency September 4, 2009)