Iran parliament to question Ahmadinejad over fraud

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Iran parliament to question Ahmadinejad over fraud

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Iran's parliament is will summon Ahmadinejad for questioning over an economic scandal.

31 October,2011 04:36 am

Irans parliament is set to summon President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for questioning over an economic scandal and his polices after the required number of lawmakers signed a petition Sunday, the latest salvo in a long battle between the president and his rivals.Ahmadinejad would be the first president to be hauled before the Iranian parliament, a serious blow to his standing in a conflict involving the president, lawmakers and Irans powerful clerics.At least 73 lawmakers signed the petition to question Ahmadinejad, just above one-quarter of the 290 members required by Irans constitution to call in a president.Earlier the parliament found Ahmadinejads economics minister guilty in relation to a $2.6 million fraud case, considered the largest in Irans history.This is just one of several economic misconduct cases that target Ahmadinejad allies, evidence that his political struggles are a factor. Ahmadinejad has been wrestling with the parliament and the clergy over in the run-up to parliamentary elections in March and a presidential election in 2013.Ahmadinejad has come under increasing attacks in recent months from the same hard-liners who brought him to power.