Rewritten Title: Minister’s Absence from Impeachment Hearing Fuels Political Debate Amid Worker Wage Concerns
Article:
A political debate is intensifying in Iran’s Parliament (Majlis) concerning the impeachment proceedings against four ministers from the fourteenth government. While these motions have captured significant attention among representatives, some political figures have dismissed them as largely theatrical, arguing that given the country’s critical circumstances, they hold little substantive importance.
A Long-Gestating Impeachment Motion
Recent days have brought new claims from critics of Ahmad Meydari, the Minister of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare. Abbas Goudarzi, a member of the Parliament’s Social Commission, shed light on the impeachment process against the minister. He stated that the motion to impeach Minister Meydari had been initiated months prior but faced delays for various reasons, including “specific considerations” faced by MPs.
Goudarzi further elaborated that the internal election of the parliament’s presiding board and the country’s sensitive conditions limited the opportunity to table multiple impeachment motions simultaneously. He confirmed that despite an invitation for the minister to attend a session, he was absent, making the referral of the impeachment request to the presiding board “inevitable.”
Questions Over Minister’s Absence
A central question has emerged: why was the Minister of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare absent from the impeachment review session? Was he not properly notified, or was there another reason?
Addressing this directly, Minister Meydari explained in an interview that a session for responding to representatives was scheduled for Sunday. However, he stated, “Due to my participation in a meeting related to the government, it was not possible for me to attend that session.”
Wage Increase Ruled Out for Now
Amid the political maneuvering, the minister also addressed a key economic concern for the nation’s workforce. When questioned about a potential wage increase for workers, Minister Meydari clarified that, considering current conditions and inflation growth, “the discussion of increasing the minimum wage is not currently on the agenda.” He confirmed that the issue is not slated for discussion in the Supreme Labour Council, dashing short-term hopes for a pay raise.