Iran's Supreme Leader overrules Ahmadinejad, rejects resignation of Intel. Minister

Iran's Supreme Leader overrules Ahmadinejad, rejects resignation of Intel. Minister

2011-04-18 01:46:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

TEHRAN (BNO NEWS) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Sunday rejected the resignation of intelligence minister Heyder Moslehi, whose resignation was earlier accepted by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The office of Ahmadinejad earlier said the president had received a letter from Moslehi in which he submitted his resignation. It gave no reason for the resignation, but the statement added that Ahmadinejad had accepted the decision. It also said that Ahmadinejad would appoint Moslehi as his intelligence affairs adviser.

However, the country's Supreme Leader - who is more powerful than Ahmadinejad and any other Iranian officials - rejected Moslehi's resignation and reinstated him. No other details were immediately released.

Moslehi has served as Iran's Intelligence Minister since August 2009 and played a major role in the crackdown on anti-government protesters in the wake of the disputed election victory of Ahmadinejad.

In mid-December, Ahmadinejad fired foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki because lawmakers felt he was not good enough to represent Iran on the international stage. This mainly concerned the country's nuclear program, which Iran claims is peaceful, and Ahmadinejad choose the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi to replace Mottaki.

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