Iran's conservative-dominated parliament yesterday approved the cabinet appointed by the new President, Mr Mohammad Khatami, after 15 hours of stormy debate. Among the 22 ministers confirmed by the 270-member Majlis, or parliament, was Mr Khatami's controversial choice for Culture Minister, Mr Ataollah Mohajerani, accused by conservative deputies of being soft towards the west.
Mr Mohajerani, who will take up the reins of the powerful Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, received 144 votes in his favour, while 96 deputies voted against him. There were 20 abstentions.
Mr Khatami, a moderate cleric elected President in May on a platform of social and economic reform, thanked the deputies following the vote for giving their support to his "entire" 22-member cabinet.
The speaker of parliament, Mr Ali Akbar Nategh-Nouri, a conservative stalwart defeated by Mr Khatami in May's election, congratulated the President and recalled that he had "predicted a favourable vote" for his cabinet nominees.
The two days of confirmation hearings in parliament were marked by harsh attacks from conservative deputies on the record of Mr Mohajerani, accused of tolerating a "western cultural invasion" and condemned for a call years ago for a dialogue with the United States.
Mr Khatami's nominee for the post of Interior Minister, Mr Abdollah Nouri, also came in for fierce criticism from some Islamist deputies.
In a one-hour speech to the legislature before the vote, Mr Khatami defended his appointees, describing Mr Mohajerani as an "invaluable asset", and urged parliament to "admit that differences of opinion exist in the society".
He stressed his "firm opposition to any form of cultural repression" and said he favoured "greater cultural openness".
"We all support Islam, are for a powerful and strong religious society, rely on revolution and like to see the fruits of the Islamic revolution," he said.
"In order for the Islamic republic to be proud, to enforce religious principles, Islamic ethics and values and to ensure the society's progress spiritually and materialistically, we should admit that differences of opinion exist in the society," he added.
Mr Mohajerani promised yesterday to make "fundamental changes at every level" of the Culture Ministry, if confirmed, and "to guarantee respect for cultural and artistic freedoms".
"I oppose attacks on bookstores and newspaper offices," he added in an apparent reference to recent attacks on liberal publications in Iran.