Iranian Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Mahmoud Goudarzi has stepped down after more thanthree years in office, a ministryofficial says.
The ministrys director general for public relations and information,Mazyar Nazemi, told IRNA on Tuesday that Goudarzi has announced his resignation in a meeting with his deputies.
Following Goudarzis resignation, Managing Director of Kish Free Trade Zone Ali Asghar Mounesan, head of the National Library and ArchivesOrganisation ofIran,Reza Salehi Amiri, Iranian President'sDeputy Chief of Staff Morteza Bank, as well as vice president and head of the Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization Massoud Soltanifar have been named as possible candidates to replace Goudarzi as caretaker.
Goudarzi won the Iranian parliaments vote of confidence in November 2013 as President Hassan Rouhanis fourth nominee for the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairsaftersecuring199 votes out of the total 267 votes cast. Some 44 lawmakers voted against him and 24 others abstained.
The parliamentarians had previously given vote of no confidence to Massoud Soltanifar, Salehi Amiri and Nasrollah Sajjadi.
Culture minister tenders resignation
Meanwhile, there are reports thatIranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati has also resigned.
According to Fars News Agency, Jannati tendered his resignationon Tuesday after serving as ministerfor overthree years.
Jannati was chosen the culture minister after he won the parliaments confidence vote with 234 votes in favor, 36 against and 12 abstentions.
The presidents advisor on cultural affairs, Hessamoddin Ashena,is a likelynominee to temporarily lead the ministrywhile Salehi Amiri is also being touted as a candidate for caretaker.