Iran’s parliament blames Rouhani for economic troubles, refers him to judiciary

Defending his cabinet’s performance, Rouhani said the economic troubles only began when Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehran, but many lawmakers were not satisfied with the answer according to vote results at the end of the session, Reuters reports.

If the majority of lawmakers are not convinced with the president’s answers, they can see it as “a breach of law” and refer the case to the judiciary.

The lawmakers have the power to impeach the president, and vote on his lack of competence, but such a motion is not before parliament at this stage.

On Sunday, Iran’s parliament sacked the minister of economic affairs and finance due to the sharp fall in the rial currency and the deterioration in the economic situation. In early August Iranian lawmakers voted out the minister of labor and last month Rouhani replaced the head of the central bank.

Rouhani, a pragmatist who reduced tension with the West by striking a nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, now himself faces a backlash from hardliners after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the pact in May.

Rouhani said anti-government protests in early January encouraged Trump to withdraw from the nuclear deal as he was hopeful that economic hardship would stir more unrest in Iran.