Ahmadinejad still shaking things up on the home front

Latest Iranian oil minister nominee withdraws

Prezzy Mahmound is not having an easy time of it with the homeboys, is he?

Iran was still without an oil minister on Wednesday after the latest nominee of President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad withdrew shortly before a parliamentary vote.
Sadeq Mahsouli, a close presidential ally, told Mr Ahmadi-Nejad in a letter read out in parliament he was pulling out because “the nominee should get a very high vote”.
Parliament had been expected to block Mr Mahsouli after influential deputies, including the head of the parliamentary energy commission, had raised his lack of managerial experience and questioned the probity of his role in arranging oil swaps with central Asian republics.

Mr Mahsouli was the third name linked with the post and his demise means Opec’s second largest producer has been without an oil minister for the three months since Mr Ahmadi-Nejad took office after winning an election on “bringing oil money to people’s sofreh (dining cloth)”.

Mr Ahmadi-Nejad told parliament on Wednesday he had wanted to nominate Mr Mahsouli last August – when parliament rejected four of his original nominations – but that Mr Mahsouli had turned down his invitation after estekhareh, a means of seeking divine guidance through opening at random the Muslim holy book, the Koran."

An oil minister for Iran is deciding oil exports by rolling the bones with Mohammed? Sheesh.

This piqued my interest. Follow the money people...

It has emerged in recent days that Mr Ahmadi-Nejad is to replace the managing directors of seven state banks.

There has been no word of change at the top of two specialised banks – the Export Development Bank and the Industries and Mines Bank – and at Iran’s central bank, which has pushed in recent years for greater independence. “I’d like to say the leader will protect the central bank against the president,” said a senior banker. “But now I’m not so sure. A week ago I thought he would protect the managing directors of the state banks.”