"Iran lawmakers fire interior minister
TEHRAN - The Iranian Parliament voted to dismiss a top minister yesterday, in a setback for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad eight months before he faces presidential elections.
The Parliament dismissed Interior Minister Ali Kordan after he admitted that he faked his university degree and tried to bribe members of Parliament not to impeach him.
The dismissal underlines the assertiveness of the Parliament as Ahmadinejad struggles to cope with an economic crisis. Inflation is at 30 percent, and falling oil prices in a country that has the second largest known oil reserves in the world are undermining the budget. Analysts said the vote confirmed the division between conservative forces in Iranian politics ahead of the presidential vote in June when Ahmadinejad is up for reelection.
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