Attempts to bring impeachment proceedings against the foreign minister can undermine the country’s diplomatic authority on the global stage and reduce the Foreign Ministry’s confidence while leading international negotiations, a lawmaker said.
Mohammad Ali Vakili also said in an interview with IRNA that under the present critical conditions, Iranian diplomats need vitality and confidence to be able to make tough and prompt decisions.
“Such a behavior toward the foreign minister is by no means in the national interest,” he said.
The parliament has received a motion to impeach Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif over his recent comments about “widespread money laundering” in Iran and a host of foreign policy issues.
Vakili said although impeachment is the legal right of parliamentarians, it is not expected to produce a favorable result.
“If the sponsors [of the motion] are opposed to his approaches, [they need to know that] the diplomatic apparatus is only an executive body ... Zarif and his team at the Foreign Ministry do not determine the policies,” he said, adding that any future minister would also have to pursue the same policies.
The proposal is currently being reviewed by Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission. The motion will not be discussed in parliament, if the number of signatures falls below 10 after it is studied in the commission.
