President Hassan Rohani appointed Mohammad Ali Najafi to replace Reza Farajidana at the helm of the Ministry of Science and Technology today, after Parliament voted to impeach Farajidana.

Rohani expressed gratitude to Farajidana for his service as minister and appointed him as his adviser on Academic and Training Affairs.

Najafi was previously put forth by Rohani as his first choice for the ministry of education, but Parliament did not give the necessary vote of confidence, linking Najafi to the election protests of 2009.

Najafi was later appointed as vice-president and head of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.

Najafi is one of the founders of the Executives of Construction Party and is close to Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, the moderate cleric who is head of the Expediency Council.

Radio Zamaneh