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Iranian President Nominates New Oil Minister

2 November 2005 -- Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has nominated Sadeq Mahsouli as oil minister.

The job is considered to be one of the most prestigious and hotly contested posts in Iran's cabinet. Iran is the second-biggest exporter in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The original candidate submitted to the parliamentary energy commission board was conservative academic Aliasghar Zarei. It is not immediately clear why the nomination was switched to Mahsouli. He now faces a parliamentary vote of confidence.

Ahmadinejad made oil a keystone of his conservative reform manifesto, vowing to distribute the country's oil wealth more fairly among Iran's people.

(Reuters)

Copyright (c) 2005. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org