Iranian Parliament Set to Haul Ahmadinejad Up for Questioning — Over Fraud Case
- Posted on October 30, 2011 at 12:30pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Iranian Parliament is set to summon President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for questioning over a fraud case. (Reuters)
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s parliament is set to summon President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for questioning over an economic scandal and his polices after the required number of lawmakers signed a petition Sunday, the latest salvo in a long battle between the president and his rivals.
Ahmadinejad would be the first president to be hauled before the Iranian parliament, a serious blow to his standing in a the conflict involving the president, lawmakers and Iran’s powerful clerics.
At least 73 lawmakers signed the petition to question Ahmadinejad, just above one-quarter of the 290 members required by Iran’s constitution to call in a president.
Earlier the parliament found Ahmadinejad’s economics minister guilty in relation to a $2.6 million fraud case, considered the largest in Iran’s history.
This is just one of several economic misconduct cases that target Ahmadinejad allies, evidence that his political struggles are a factor. Ahmadinejad has been wrestling with the parliament and the clergy over in the run-up to parliamentary elections in March and a presidential election in 2013.
Ahmadinejad has come under increasing attacks in recent months from the same hard-liners who brought him to power.
Dozens of Ahmadinejad’s political backers have been arrested or hounded out of the public eye by hard-line forces in recent months. His protege and top aide, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, has been effectively blackballed from his goal of succeeding Ahmadinejad in 2013 elections by a series of reputation-killing accusations.
They include leading a “deviant current” that seeks to challenge the system of theocratic rule, and alleged links to the $2.6 billion bank fraud.
The questioning, should it happen, would be a serious blow to Ahmadinejad, who has already been weakened after he publicly challenged Khamenei in April over the choice of intelligence minister.
The $2.6 billion fraud case involving top government officials has reinvigorated efforts by lawmakers to seriously bring Ahmadinejad before the house.
“The petition to question the president has reached the minimum of signatures required. It was handed over to the presiding council,” lawmaker Hossein Sobhaninia said.
The parliament’s presiding council acknowledged receiving the petition Sunday, clearing the way to bring the president before the house.
At a session of parliament broadcast live on state radio Sunday, a report was read saying that a parliamentary investigation has found top government officials guilty in the case, described as the nation’s biggest financial scam.
Economy Minister Shamsoddin Hosseini is set to be impeached Tuesday over the case.
Sobhaninia, a member of the presiding council, said a special parliamentary committee will question a representative of the president before Ahmadinejad himself is summoned before the house.
Dozens of Iranian lawmakers signed a similar petition last year, but later, several lawmakers withdrew their signatures, killing the move.
Ali Motahari, a conservative lawmaker behind the petition, resigned earlier this month to protest the parliament’s failure to summon Ahmadinejad for questioning. He charged that he could no longer protect the rights of the people who elected him to parliament.
On Sunday, Motahari said he will withdraw his resignation if the president is actually questioned.
The $2.6 billion fraud case involved the use of forged documents to obtain credit from at least two Iranian state banks to purchase state-owned companies.
Iranian businessman Mahafarid Amir Khosravi, also known as Amir Mansour Aria, has been accused of masterminding the scam, a scandal that broke in September.
A long report on parliament’s investigation found Hosseini, the economy minister, his deputies and managers of the Central Bank of Iran as well as managers of the banks involved in the fraud case guilty of failing to take action despite having knowledge of the offenses.
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Comments (51)
your sensei
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 5:52pmLet’s see if Obama can topple this clown too. Make it a hat trick. Best national security president since Truman.
Report Post »joe1234
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 6:07pmyeah he’s great for the muslim brotherhood!!
notice how quiet he was when the iranians demonstrated against his buddies the dinner jacket and the mullahs??
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 6:25pmMaybe they’ve got the message that they are next if Wackjob does not step down. They’ll throw him out on some technical issue and install somebody more friendly to the West. Peace through Superior Firepower is demonstrated once again.
Report Post »your sensei
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 6:29pmGee Joe, a year ago you had to act like yo liked the Iranian demonstrators. Then when they were demonstrating last week you all hated them. Which is it? While you try to decide, think about this “Is the world better off with or without Saddam Hussein?”
You see, that’s the only rationale the right was left with after spending 8 years and a trillion dollars and 4,500 American lives. And Iraq is no closer to long-term peace, prosperity or democracy than it was when we invaded. Now Obama deposes two tyrants, liberates two countries, kills bin Laden and his top leaders, all without losing a single soldier, all within six months, all for a couple billion dollars, and you say it’s not worth the cost.
Your opinion sounds kinda dumb when you ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT IT, don’t it.
Report Post »joe1234
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 6:59pm“Gee Joe, a year ago you had to act like yo liked the Iranian demonstrators. Then when they were demonstrating last week you all hated them”
gee senseless no surprise you can’t tell the difference between pro-government stooges (like you) and real freedom fighters…
“While you try to decide, think about this “Is the world better off with or without Saddam Hussein?” ”
uh gomer, whether the dinner jacket goes or stays, what matters is what about the mullahs??? get a clue this is because khamenie wants the dinner jacket gone…nothing more…your savior obama has nothing to do with this. only a moron would think he does…well the jack-boot does fit in your case….
“You see, that’s the only rationale the right was left with after spending 8 years and a trillion dollars and 4,500 American lives. And Iraq is no closer to long-term peace, prosperity or democracy than it was when we invaded.”
really? so the iraqi government is slaughtering kurds like saddam was? they’re feeding people to plastics shredders like saddam was? oh and thats why you fascist libs LOVED saddam so…he was a murderous socialist dictator…it just gives you fascists libs the vapors thinking about slaughtering your enemies…doesn’t it now?
Report Post »joe1234
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 7:03pm“Now Obama deposes two tyrants, liberates two countries, kills bin Laden and his top leaders, all without losing a single soldier, all within six months, all for a couple billion dollars, and you say it’s not worth the cost.”
liberates, really? guess you missed the new ruler of libya talking about sharia law being the basis of their legal system…but lets see you dismiss years of free and fair elections in iraq, a reasonably pro-western government, and automatically assume that a in egypt and libya we’re going to have a western style democracy. where do you get such idiocy at? apparently facts have no impact on your infantile little mind.
so where are the free elections in libya and egypt? haven’t seen anything yet, have you? are on you drugs? what do you base this political analysis of yours that is nothing more than the ravings of foaming-at-the-mouth fascist loser?
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 7:12pmUh…the top Mullah already warned he’d take Achmed down, so this is no surprise. The story is a cover circus for the real power-play that’s happening. It changes nothing, and if you believe that this is some “popular uprising” you’re as dumb as you appear.
Beyond that, sensless, do you think an American President openly cheering the violent revolutions in other countries is a good idea?
Report Post »TH30PH1LUS
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 5:28pmMaybe the people of Iran will march in the streets for their freedom. Oh. Wait. They already tried that? Obama didn’t send a “kinetic operation” to assist?
Nevermind.
Report Post »davetrav
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 5:35pmAnother one bites the dust.
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 7:13pmNo, he doesn’t. He’ll learn his lesson and get back in line with the Mullahs, or they’ll put someone equally evil in his place. This farce is meaningless to us.
Report Post »davetrav
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 5:34pmAnother one –COULD BITE THE DUST. –Obama might apply for his job.
Report Post »bbr48
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 8:24amThat would be a blessing. Send Little O to Iran…they can have him
Report Post »cassandra
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 4:36pmthe little street cleaner ha ha ha he reminds me of yosemity sam
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 6:25pmMore like the Frito Bandito!
Report Post »gwssacredcause
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 3:17pmI have to wonder about the accuracy of this article, in one place it says 2.6 million in another it says 2.6 billion. Maybe the Iranians would have an even bigger problem with billions verses millions.
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 3:49pmMillion…Billion…who cares. I say Sharia Law says we must cut off his hands.
Report Post »motonutt
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 4:38pmLike I said before…..It would not suprise me if this evil little clown is not long for this world. And we may not be the one’s that are going to off him, they will.
Report Post »jgeespot
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 2:50pmAhmadinejad in trouble for fraud? Why am I thinking Al Capone for tax evasion?
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 6:26pmYea really? Corruption in this Muslim Paradise?
Report Post »Topcat
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 2:35pmIran can police their corruption and hold their elected officials accountable, over 2.6 Million Dollars, we have a president suspected of Billions of Dollars in corruption, why cant we follow their lead. Would appear our Congress has no backbone to attack corruption with any more than words..
Report Post »georgiavietvet
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 3:01pmtopcat……………………… you are exactly right obama should be impeached now………………….
Report Post »zoro51
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 2:28pmthis MURDERING MUSLUM PIECE OF CRAP WILL BE DEALTH WITH SOON you SHALL see him topple n be EXTERMINATED. as well as syria… have NO pitty have NO mercy hes in a CULT oif hate n death hell is being prepared for him n the leader of syria.. realize this MUSLUMS are ina CULT of HATE n DEATH they could care LESS who they kill as long as they KILL…
Report Post »paulusmaximus
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 2:04pmWho cares? It‘s his head that’s on the line! < Head on the line! HE! HE! HE!
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:57pmHere‘s why bailouts won’t work in my opinion. Because even though they are making cuts to entitlements, they still spend a lot for security and the more entitlements they cut, the more they will have to spend on security. It’s greedy people in charge who want security for themselves and that is the issue. And that won’t go away as they even spend more on security, and China can not prop up the world. Moreover, the money they save by cutting entitlements, they will spend on security. And it will still crash.
Report Post »Truthmonster
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:49pmArabs always have to have something to hate if it’s not a foreign power they turn on themselves. This has gone on since the dawn of man.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:35pmWhen Global Warming skeptics begin to change their mind about Global Warming or so-called Climate Change, then you will know the system is going down-hill faster and more than likely is past the point of no-return, and they are seeking to preserve themselves at the cost of others.
Report Post »haras42000
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:33pmif the parliment is like our congress and senate they will just waste time and money and nothing will come of it. they all just like to hear themselves TALK and they sure can nd dish out the BULL. but they all think we are stupid andnot paying attention we are.
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:32pmA theatrical diversion, nothing more.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:26pmGod told Noah, but the flesh thereof you may not eat. Why did he say that? Because the last time the entire world collapsed their was mass cannibalism. It’s going on right now in many nations globally. People like to live in a fantasy bubble, and eventually it’s gonna pop.
Report Post »paulusmaximus
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 2:02pmYou have first hand knowledge of this?
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:18pmHere is the epitome of a doomed family. The dad ridicules the child when the child doesn’t use his brain for simple things, and the mother says, “Don’t say that to him.” The mother continues to doom the child more than you will ever know, especially when the collapse finally comes. More than like, those dad’s will say , “See ya.”
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:14pmThe interesting thing is that people’s concept of love is upside-down. It was the doom that will eventually come to the world that Jesus’ teachings were all about, and unfortunately people’s concept of love is upside-down, and they have also doomed their child’s ability to make it in a doomed world.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:10pmI await the day that Obama is hauled before Congress to answer for his crimes. Should I hold my breath?
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 3:51pmNo,,,you would die.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:10pmReplacing Ahmadinejad will have about as much change in the direction of the Mid-East as much as a European Bailout will keep the world economy from collapsing.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:08pmMaybe the iranians will allow him to retire permanently — Bang!!!
Report Post »http://artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm (cat folk gallery)
Eliasim
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:08pmThat won’t change anything. It’s the structure. Even, there is Saudi Royalty offering much money for the capture of Israeli soldiers.
Report Post »lynnissmart
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 12:58pmOh he’s such a nice guy…..tears are falling from my eyes….maybe now the people in Iran will have the courage to revolt against the whole regime! Wishful thinking! Hey AJ, what goes around comes around!!! ha, ha, ba, ba
Report Post »TheePolitinator
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 12:54pmAmericans have been robbed of 16 trillion. Things that make you go, hmmmmm
Report Post »I.Gaspar
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 12:36pmI hope they execute the pig slowly when they find him guilty. He’s like the three legged pig in the joke…you wouldn’t want to execute such an evil pig all at once.
Report Post »netmail
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 12:36pmHe’ll be replaced by Jimmy Carter.
Report Post »BobtheMoron
Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:59pmYeah_h-h-h-h!!!
Report Post »