Rouhani Accepts Iran VP for Heritage Resignation over Health Reasons

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accepted Thursday the resignation of the vice president for cultural heritage, Mohammad Ali Najafi, who suffers heart problems, media reported.

Najafi, who headed the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization, had repeatedly sought to resign since his appointment in August.

In a decree published by state news agency IRNA, Rouhani said "I had insisted on the continuation of our cooperation despite your repeated requests to resign. However, I accept it for the sake of your health."

He appointed Najafi as a presidential adviser.

When moderate Rouhani took office last summer, he named Najafi as education minister, but the conservative-controlled parliament rejected him for being too close to the reformist camp.

Media reported that Najafi will be replaced by Massoud Soltani-far, Rouhani's original nominee for the ministry of sports and youth, who was rejected in August for his "lack of experience" in that field.