TEHRAN, Iran, (AP) – Iran’s parliament has voted to refer President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the judiciary over what lawmakers say is a violation of the constitution.
Although it’s unclear whether there will be a lawsuit against Ahmadinejad, Wednesday’s vote in parliament shows the majority of Iranian lawmakers are siding with the Guardian Council — the country’s constitutional watchdog body — in an ongoing controversy with the president.
The legislators voted 165-1 in favor of legal action against Ahmadinejad over his move last month to declare himself caretaker oil minister after he sacked Masoud Mirkazemi under a Cabinet reshuffle plan.
A parliament report says Ahmadinejad’s action was in “obvious violation of the constitution.” Remaining lawmakers in the 290-member assembly were either absent or abstained.