Iranian educated in North Korea becomes minister

TEHRAN, Iran - The Associated Press

A view of Iran's parliament is seen during impeachment proceedings against the labor minister, Abdolreza Sheikholeslami, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013. AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

Iran’s parliament has approved a North Korean-educated former military official for a key post in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government.

The official IRNA news agency says Mohammad Hasan Nami - nominated by Ahmadinejad last week for the post of communications minister - got 177 votes in parliament on Tuesday. There were 243 lawmakers present in the 290-seat chamber.

Nami is the third minister with a military background to join Ahmadinejad administration, after Defense Minister Gen. Ahmad Vahidi and Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar.

Nami holds a doctorate degree in state management from Kim Il-Sung University in Pyongyang, North Korea. He is also a former deputy defense minister and Iran’s ex-deputy Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Army.

Nami is fluent in English and is reportedly behind Iran’s national intranet project.