Iranian president appoints two women vice-presidents

Rouhani had no woman ministers in first term and chose predominantly male cabinet

Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani delivers a speech after being sworn in before parliament in Tehran, on August 5th. Photograph: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images
Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani delivers a speech after being sworn in before parliament in Tehran, on August 5th. Photograph: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images

Iran’s president has named two women as vice-presidents after proposing a cabinet that included no women among his ministerial picks.

Hassan Rouhani's presidential website announced that he appointed Masoumeh Ebtekar as vice-president for women and family affairs and Laaya Joneidi as vice-president for legal affairs.

Ms Ebtekar was Mr Rouhani’s vice-president for the environment department during his first term, one of three women appointees.

Another was Shahindokht Molaverdi, who Mr Rouhani named as assistant on citizenship rights.

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Iranian presidents appoint a number of vice-presidents.

On Tuesday, Mr Rouhani proposed 17 men for 18 cabinet positions to parliament for approval.

The cleric had no woman ministers in his first term, despite being a moderate compared with others in Iran’s Islamic Republic and emphasising women’s rights in his campaign.

AP