New oil minister approved

The Majlis (Parliament) has approved the appointment of Massoud Mirkazemi as oil minister. Mirkazemi, the former commerce minister who enjoys close links with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has been criticised for his lack of knowledge and experience of the oil industry. His running of the department, which is engulfed in crisis, will be crucial during the new parliamentary term, particularly if further sanctions are imposed on the oil industry over the country’s nuclear programme.