Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Rostam Qasemi Becomes New Oil Minister

Also New Ministers of Industry, Labor and Sports

By a vote 216-22, with 7 abstentions, the Majlis today overwhelmingly approved the nomination of Rostam Qasemi to become the new oil minister. Qasemi is an IRGC general officer and until now was the commander of its Khatam al-Anbia base, the massive business and industrial arm of IRGC. Qasimi’s experience at Khatam al-Anbia is thought to be relevant at the oil ministry whose priority is completing construction and maintenance projects despite international sanctions against investments in oil and gas industry. Critics raise concerns over IRGC's growing influence over Iran's economy.

The Majlis also approved the nomination of Mehdi Qazanfari to become the minister of Industries, Mines and Trade. The new ministry was created by the merger of the ministry of Industries and Mines and the ministry of Commerce.

The Majlis also approved the nominations of Abdol Reza Sheikholeslami as the minister of Labor and Social Welfare and Mohammad Abbasi as the first minister of the newly created ministry of Youths and Sports.

The overwhelming approvals of the mew ministers by Majlis put an end to months of bitter negotiations and power struggle between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani on which ministries to merge to comply with new laws to bring down the number of cabinet departments to 17 and whom to appoint as new ministers. At the end, the speaker and his conservative majority in the parliament triumphed and Ahmadinejad was forced to follow Majlis guidelines on which departments to merge and whom to name as ministers. Qasemi and the other new ministers are not regarded by Majlis as members of Ahmadinejad’s inner circle or sympathetic to the “deviationist” tendencies.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to the Iranian Maffia aka IRGC.

Anonymous said...

What will happen to those that did not vote for Qasemi?

Anonymous said...

Good choice..Now lets see some real muscle in the Iranian oil sector and cut the rot and corrupt practices.

To all the haters out there..Your hatred won't change a thing but will rather eat you alive from within..

Happy hating :)

Anonymous said...

I see the Rozeh Khoon has got the approval of the Tavileh to put IRGC Dracula in charge of our blood bank.

Anonymous said...

Less transparency, Complete take over of means of oil production by military, Less accountability is to result in more corruption and less efficient management of the oil sector. Asalooyeh's past several years with take over of military contractors/subcontractors has less to show with more money being spent than its first few years. And this is a an example of things to come.

Anonymous said...

It's funny..Exiled Iranian opposition,wanting power at all cost under the guise of freedom,democracy and all the human rights BS,pressure the West to put sanctions on Iran's industries because somehow, according to their freudian logic, that's what keeping the regime in place - not that it helps to provide jobs for the very people they claim to care about.Nothing to do with it!!!

When Western companies operating in Iran can no longer continue their work due to the sanctions, the Iranian government is forced to find a local contractor to carry on with the project.

As this happens, this same opposition come out again and scream blood,mafia,mullah,corrupt etc. Will it ever end?

Then they'll turn round and say,Oh look, the local contractor didn't even do a proper job on the project and that it would've been better to give it to a foreign contractor who'll charge an arm and leg for a simple project.

Hypocrites!!!

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:25 PM..."cut the rot and corrupt practices" Your use of those to words are right but slightly needs altering in its sentencing why cant you just say..Good choice..Now lets see some real stealing in the Iranian oil sector by a rotten and corrupt regime. To all haters of anti-Iranian entity which occupies Iran known as the Islamic Republic let it be known that your determination will change the destiny of the nation.There its better to be honest do you not think? Good Luck!

Anonymous said...

This had nothing to do with Opposition. Some of us Living outside Iran know well about our history and how West or East screwed us over years and hold us back. But that does not mean that the criticism of the selection of a person with little or no experience in management of oil sector means we want harm for Iran. On the contrary. This is the problem now within Iran, Many who dare to criticize become anti Velayat and are labeled and thrown away. Having Yes MEN around only will stroke egos and is not an effective way to run anything, let alone Iran with West and East trying to destabilize and hurt us.

Anonymous said...

Anon 2:00 PM..Its funny how family members and mullah lovers of the regime always cries Iranian exile Iranian exile.Wake up all Iranians hate this anti-human regime specially the majority in Iran and most certainly the six million plus abroad.All the rest you wrote is speculative bullshit so live with it.

Anonymous said...

anon 4:36 PM,

"Wake up all Iranians hate this anti-human regime specially the majority in Iran and most certainly the six million plus abroad"

Is that the reason the opposition lost the elections?? Goodness you guys never tire do you??
And please, don't give me that BS about "stolen elections"..That assertion's been debunked many time already - and it's not even by Iran's government...Get a life!!!

Anonymous said...

Anon 2:00 PM...Hypocrites? That is a word which is very much part of the ruling regime and their lackeys which will fill volumes concerning their conduct and behaviour towards the Iranian nation.

Anonymous said...

Anon 5:56 PM...Stolen elections? Who is talking about stolen elections.There has never been any real elections let alone stolen ones.Besides who is talking about the green movement it is far greater than that believe me far greater.

Anonymous said...

"All Iranians Hate...". Gents, please, as it is clear from this board just a few Iranians cannot agree on one thing, let alone all hate or love this government. This is about Rostami not qualified. We have so many well qualified hard working engineers and managers within the oil ministry that can come up the ranks and do a good job, but again in today's Iran, especially after last elections, everything is about getting the "Right" people as decision makers. I call these "Right" people mostly AS@ Kissers that do not have the integrity or guts to tell the truth and do the right thing for their ministry, people, religion or country. As I said before if you dare to say anything negative about your managers no matter how constructive it is, you will be labeled "zed-e-'Velayat", fired at best, sometimes jailed for months, and then out of a job. SO many qualified Young people lost their jobs because so few corrupt can play the Velayat card against them. This is about truth, transparency, Competence and results oriented people, less about the type of government.

Anonymous said...

This is sound choice as the Sepah are well versed in managing the Iranian energy sector. General Rostam Qasemi also is a strategic thinker and can protect Iran's increasing clout in the new Asia centric multi-polar world as the US hegemony in the region and around the globe collapses.

Another interesting development is the increasing US-Russian strategic axis and policy coordination. Meanwhile, China has officially voiced its desire to be Iran's strategic partner as well as a major energy client.

Regardless of failing Zionist propaganda against resurgent Iranian power, the fact remains that Iran is moving forward in a very confident and globally engaged policy environment.

Iran's rising influence at OPEC and in global politics can be judged by that fact that Moscow has hurriedly scheduled an intensive strategic dialogue with Tehran during the coming week. Russian National Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev is heading for Tehran next weekend and immediately thereafter Dr. Salehi is paying an official visit to Moscow to discuss regional issues as US faces a rout on all fronts, not the least financial collapse and Af-Pak quagmire.

Notwithstanding the delusional anti-Iran propaganda from the Zionist media and their Alice in Wonderland stooges based in the US and Europe, Iran's government is UNITED, its economy strong (even the IMF gave it high marks)and its institutions working in harmony and carry the imprimatur of Supreme Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei, who has won increasing respect for his principled stand on domestic issues and international affairs.

In reality, Dr. Ahmadinejad's choice of the respected veteran Sepah commander Rostam Qasemi as Iran's new oil minister is the correct choice in terms of Iran's strategic economic and national security aims.

Anonymous said...

Anon 7:03PM... It has got everything to do with the type of government what are you talking about.This is not any normal government we are discussing here this is a parasitic regime based on propaganda the inquisition with psychotic paranoia in a medieval mind set and a deity as its divine leader with prostrating minions as its subordinate president and ministers and personal henchmen as its security forces.What else could it be? Is it any wonder that a normal educated person can not be in any type of position in government unless your a lackey.Now lets see some vindictive malevolent and derogatory comments by the smart ass brigade.

Anonymous said...

We Americans have put active military members in Secretary positions (our counterpart to ministers), such as health.

So the Iranians have one for oil. Oil, by the way, is considered by the USG to be a strategic resource and aspects of our capacity are considered classified.

Anonymous said...

Anon 7:06.."Its government united its economy strong"...A REGIME THAT BELIEVES IN WITCHCRAFT WITH A HYPOCRITICAL WIZARD AS ITS LEADER WHICH HAS LEAD THE COUNTRY TO RUIN SEEN THE IRANIAN CURRENCY LATELY ITS THE BOTTOM OF THE TABLE COMPARABLE TO SOME AFRICAN AND AFGHAN CURRENCY.YOU MAKE A VERY POOR PROPAGANDA MINISTER GO AND READ SOME BOOKS AND EDUCATE YOURSELF AND TAKE LESS OF THE STUFF YOUR TAKING THEN YOU CAN SEE MORE CLEARLY YOU JOKER.

Anonymous said...

Uskowi check out this article:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-04/british-companies-trading-with-iran-hidden-by-u-k-to-avert-u-s-sanctions.html

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:51...We Americans..Yeah right. Well we Iranians have an unanswerable despotic and demoniac regime which will do anything to remain in power including placing one of the leaders top goons so that they can rob the countries wealth blind with disastrous consequence.

Nader Uskowi said...

There are two issues here that need to be kept separated. The first is whether Gen. Qasemi would be a good oil minister. Based on his experience at Khatam al-Anbia, as I have said before, he does have the credentials of running a complex organization with a niche in large construction projects and the ministry of oil is in dire need of a long-term maintenance and construction project. He might well prove to be an effective minister.

Then there is the issue of IRGC. Some commentators have said former senior military officers serve in cabinets in many countries including the US. That is true. The difference, however, is in these countries the military is not organized to run businesses. IRGC, and Khatam al-Anbia in particular, have billions of dollars worth of contracts and are involved in all major industries and have the largest import network, complete with their own private ports. The military is indeed the largest single actor in Iran’s economy. Under these circumstances, putting a general officer in charge of the oil ministry is indeed a matter of grave concern.

And the concern should be, and I believe is shared by some senior IRGC officers. The way the organization is set up to do business puts it in danger of becoming a mafia-type organization, combining powers of military, politics and business. That’s as detrimental to IRGC as a fighting force as is to the country.

Anonymous said...

A good Manager or minister of any complex organization such as Oil and Gas should manage the people based on their abilities, knowledge and results. Gen. Qasemi like many others are only looking for obedience, and politics. This management style might be somehow necessary in military but has been shown to fail when dealing with such technology oriented organization such as Oil and Gas.

Anonymous said...

WOW!ITS GOING TO FAIL BIG TIME !!!

Anonymous said...

"WOW!ITS GOING TO FAIL BIG TIME !!!"

You'll be eating your own words in a years time...