{"id":13022,"date":"2018-08-28T12:25:57","date_gmt":"2018-08-28T12:25:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/?p=13022"},"modified":"2018-08-28T12:25:57","modified_gmt":"2018-08-28T12:25:57","slug":"iranian-mps-refer-rouhani-to-judiciary-over-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qatar-news.org\/qatarnewsEn\/?p=13022","title":{"rendered":"Iranian MPs refer Rouhani to judiciary over economy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Iran’s parliament has referred President Hassan Rouhani<\/a> to the country’s judiciary after he failed to impress legislators with his explanation of his government’s handling of Iran<\/a>‘s economic struggles.<\/p>\n

Rouhani was summoned by parliament on Tuesday for the first time since taking power five years ago to answer questions on a range of economic issues, including unemployment and inflation.<\/p>\n

In voting after the session, which was broadcast live on state television, MPs expressed dissatisfaction with four out of five of Rouhani’s responses.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The leader has been under intense pressure since US President Donald Trump<\/a> withdrew<\/a> from a landmark nuclear deal<\/a> between Iran and several world powers, worsening an economic crisis and sparkings a series of domestic protests<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In Tuesday’s session, he blamed Iran’s economic woes on an “American conspiracy” and urged parliament to support his cabinet.<\/p>\n

“There is an anti-Iran group sitting in the White House that is planning a conspiracy against us,” Rouhani said. “But together we will tackle this phase.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It should not be said we are facing a crisis. There is no crisis. If we say there is, it will become a problem for society and a threat,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Political unrest<\/h2>\n

Parliament has\u00a0<\/span>already impeached<\/a>\u00a0Rouhani’s labour and economy ministers this month and the president replaced the head of the central bank, amid concerns about\u00a0<\/span>the sharp depreciation of the national currency, which has<\/span>\u00a0 lost more than half of its value <\/a> since April.<\/span><\/p>\n

While Iran’s parliament has the power to impeach a president, Rouhani is protected by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who recently said \u00a0that removing the president would “play into the hands of the enemy.”<\/p>\n

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Parliament asked Rouhani about:<\/h3>\n