Iranian President Hassan Rohani gave a speech on Saturday in which he referred to Parliament’s removal of his science minister, Reza Farajidana, saying: “Changing one person will not change the direction of the administration.”

The Rohani administration won power last August with a platform of moderation and more progressive policies. The Mehr News Agency reports Rohani was speaking at a ceremony marking Administration Week when he said: “The administration and the president will continue to show respect to critics but they will never bow down to those who want to subvert the government and the regime, and we hope to attain what the people want with the guidance of the leader and support of the people.”

He added that one of the chief objectives of the administration is fighting corruption, including corruption in universities, forged degrees and documents, or corruption in allotting bursaries.

Some of Reza Farajidana’s supporters have attributed his impeachment to his exposure of irregularities in the allotment of bursaries under the Ahmadinejad administration.

Radio Zamaneh