Former Minister Criticizes Iran's Economic Policies

According to the Fars news agency, Alireza Tahmasebi, who was replaced in a government shuffle on August 12, complained in his resignation letter that prices had been frozen artificially, industrial plants are suffering from under-investment, and that the Industry Ministry was enduring poor personnel changes.

Oil Minister Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh, who was criticized recently for a gas-pipeline deal, also resigned on August 12.

The resignation of the two ministers were the third and fourth such departures from Ahmadinejad's cabinet since he came to power in 2005.

The cabinet reshuffle was seen as aimed at increasing the president's control over his economic policy, which has been widely criticized.

(AFP, Fars, Reuters)