City Councilors Reject Tehran Mayor’s Resignation

Tehran City Council on Sunday rejected the resignation of Mayor Mohammad Ali Najafi who had decided to step down due an undisclosed "health issues." 
Sixteen councilors voted against and four in favor of his resignation, ISNA reported. One member of the elected body was absent during the meeting held to discuss the mayor's decision to quit.
"I have been diagnosed with a medical condition, which requires me to undergo intense treatment and a long recovery period. For this purpose I submitted my resignation," Najafi, a 66-year old pro-reform politician, told the council before the vote.  
Despite his insistence on health grounds, conflicting reports of his decision to leave had been published in the local media, with some saying he was forced to quit after being criticized by conservatives for a ceremony on March 6, in which under-age girls danced for a mixed-gender audience. 
Prosecutors later summoned the mayor for attending the celebration at Tehran’s Milad Tower ahead of Women's Day.