The list includes no women, minorities, or ministers under age 35. Rouhani was also under fire for his justice minister pick, who has been sanctioned by the EU for human rights abuses.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Kenare
Advertisement
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani drew criticism from activists and reformist allies on Tuesday after he unveiled his proposed list of cabinet ministers. The line-up includes no women, no minorities and no young people.
Indeed, even with the inclusion of 35-year-old telecoms chief Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, the average age of the cabinet stood at 58.
"The lack of women ministers shows we are treading water," said Shahindokht Mowlaverdi, outgoing vice president for women's affairs. Mowlaverdi was one of only three women to serve under Rouhani in his first term, amongst a large cohort of vice presidents - a position that does not require parliamentary consent.
On social media, many Iranians were outraged over what they perceived as broken campaign promises. Rouhani sailed easily into re-election in May partly because he was able to secure the support of reformists on promises of greater diversity in the government.
"How can you speak of equality of the entire nation and ignore women and religious minorities?" Mohammad Karroubi, son of jailed opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, wrote on Twitter.
The list, which now goes to parliament for approval, kept most of the major players from Rouhani's first cabinet in place. This included Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who was the lead negotiator for Tehran in 2015's landmark nuclear deal with Western powers.
Rouhani has proposed one major shake-up, however - in the defense ministry. By replacing Major General Hossein Dehghan with his deputy, General Amir Hatami, the ministry will be controlled by a member of the regular Iranian military for the first time in 25 years.
Up until now, the post has largely be controlled by members of the elite Revolutionary Guards. On top of normal military duties, the organization is also tasked with protecting the country's Islamic system, as well as preventing "deviant movements" or foreign powers from wielding undue influence in Iran.
Another switch-up that is likely to prove controversial for very different reasons was Rouhani's pick for minister of justice, Alireza Avaee. Avaee is currently on a list of Iranian officials sanctioned by the European Union.
The EU placed Avaee on the list over allegations of human rights abuses and denial of prisoners' rights while he was head of the Tehran judiciary from 2005 to 2015.
Iran's Rouhani sworn in for second presidential term
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has been sworn in at a high-profile ceremony that included EU officials. He now faces the tough task of rescuing the 2015 nuclear deal and implementing reforms amidst hard-liner pushback.
Image: Imago/Upi Photo
Rouhani pledges 'path of coexistence'
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was sworn in for a second, four-year term in an open parliament session. He called for greater freedom of expression and free access to information in Iran as well as better ties to the rest of the world.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Kenare
Strong European showing
The EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini attended the inauguration along with several other foreign guests, including French and German officials. In a meeting prior to his inauguration, Rouhani said the presence of senior European diplomats showed Europe's determination to expand ties with Iran, despite pressure from the US.
Image: Irna
Historic ceremony
The parliament chamber was lined with the flags of the inauguration's guests. With more than 100 foreign delegations, including top diplomats from Europe, it was the largest showing of international guests at a presidential inauguration since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Image: Fars
Iran's reformer in chief
Prior to assuming office, Rouhani was a religious scholar, lawyer and cleric. The 68-year-old was first elected president in 2013, and is seen as a moderate reformist. During the campaign, Rouhani promised to continue building diplomatic ties abroad and to increase gender and ethnic equality at home. Analysts say the president may struggle to make an impact within Iran's power structure.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/D. Bockwo
Supreme leader approval
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (L), formally endorsed Rouhani (R) for his second term in office at a ceremony on Thursday. As the supreme leader has the final say on all state matters, it's unclear how far Rouhani will be able to push his domestic and foreign policies.
Image: leader.ir
Concerns over all-male cabinet
Rouhani is due to present his government lineup to parliament soon, which is expected to be all male. Supporters and reformist allies of the re-elected leader heavily criticized the lack of female ministers, as much of Rouhani's popularity has been built on promises for greater civil liberties, including more rights for women.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/B. Mehri
Future of nuclear deal at stake
During Rouhani's first term, Iran emerged from isolation in 2015 when the country struck a deal with six world powers to curb its nuclear program in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. The landmark deal is now under threat from US President Donald Trump, who has taken an aggressive Iran policy since entering office. Trump also recently signed a new package of sanctions against Iran.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Schlager
Bumpy road to economy boost
Rouhani also faces the difficult task of delivering on promises to improve Iran's economy. Unemployment in the country is high and rose from 24 to 30 percent during Rouhani's first term. Although the nuclear deal helped stabilize Iran's currency, foreign investment in the country has been sluggish.
