News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s appointment of Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie as his new first vice-president has been met with strong criticism from many of the country’s leading hardliners, Iranian media reported on Sunday. Mashaie created a storm in 2008 by saying Iran was friendly with everyone, even the people of its sworn foe Israel.

Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, Ahmadinejad ally and member of Iran’s top legislative body, said the president had shown "a twisted face to clerics and elites" by appointing Mashaie. The new vice president previously served as one of several vice presidents and was in charge of a culture and tourism body. Mashaie and Ahmadinejad are relatives by marriage; his daughter married the president’s son.