Iran's new president makes Cabinet appointments

Ebrahim Raisi's cabinet appointments will need to be approved in the next parliamentary session

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, front right, makes a speech after taking the oath of office in Tehran last week. Getty

Iran's newly inaugurated president Ebrahim Raisi has appointed his Cabinet members all of whom are hardliners and conservatives.

The first two appointments came earlier this week. Mohammad Mokhber was named first Vice President, while Gholamhossein Esmaili becomes Mr Raisi's chief of staff.

Mr Mokhber was director of the Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order, a government-owned enterprise. He was also part of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's executive staff.

In that role, he established the Barakat Foundation, the Ehsan Foundation, the Barakat Knowledge Foundation and the Tadbir Economic Development Group.

A veteran of the Iran-Iraq War, the US imposed sanctions on Mr Mokhber because of his role in the supreme leader's office.

Mr Esmaili is the former spokesman of Iran's judiciary and is the former head of the country's prison organisation.

Mr Raisi has two weeks to announce the rest of his Cabinet and present the names to MPs for approval. He is expected to make the rest of his appointments over the coming week.

Mr Raisi announced his full list of cabinet appointees on Thursday just two days before the next parliamentary session where members will vote to approve his cabinet.

On Wednesday, it was announced that Hossein Amir-Abdollahian will succeed Javad Zarif as the nation's next foreign minister. Mr Amir-Abdollahian is of the hardline camp and was formerly Iran's deputy foreign minister for Arab and African Affairs under conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and outgoing moderate Hassan Rouhani.

Who is in the rest of Iran's Cabinet?

Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance- Seyed Ehsan Khandouzi

Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance- Mohammad Mehdi Ismaili

Ministry of Defense, Support and Armed Forces- Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani

Department of Justice- Mohammad Mehdi Ismaili

Ministry of Health and Medical Education- Bahram Ainullahi

Ministry of Education- Hossein Baghgoli

Ministry of Roads and City Planning- Rostam Ghasemi;

Oil Ministry- Javad Oji

Ministry of Information- Hujjatul Islam and Muslims Seyyed Ismail Khatib

Ministry of Power- Ali Akbar Mehrabian

Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade- Seyed Reza Fatemi Amin

Ministry of Agriculture- Seyed Javad Sadati Nejad

Ministry of Labour, Cooperation and Social Welfare- Hojjatullah Abdul Maleki

Ministry of Sport and Youth- Seyed Hamid Sajjadi Hazaveh

Ministry of Foreign Affairs- Hossein Amir Abdullahian

Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism-Seyed Ezatullah Zarghami

Ministry of Communications and Information Technology-Issa Zarepour;





Updated: August 11, 2021, 10:56 AM