Iran parliament approves most Raisi nominees to cabinet

Iran’s parliament approved all but one of President Ebrahim Raisi's big-name nominees for a cabinet of hardliners that will have the task of implementing his plans to ease U.S. sanctions and tackle worsening economic hardship.

The hardline-dominated parliament approved anti-Western Hossein Amirabdollahian as foreign minister.

A former ambassador to Bahrain, Amirabdollahian was deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs between 2011 and 2016. He was deputy chief of mission at Iran's embassy in Baghdad from 1997-2001.

Parliament also approved the nomination of Javad Owji, an ex-deputy oil minister and managing director of the state-run gas company, as oil minister. Raisi's nominee for the education ministry was rejected by lawmakers for issues including lack of experience in the subject, Reuters reported.

Raisi's cabinet includes several commanders of the Guards like Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi, a former defence minister and commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the Quds Force. 

Raisi was sworn into office on Aug. 5.