Rouhani to appear before parliament on Aug.28: ICANA

London: iranian president has san Rou ha ni will appear before parliament on Aug.28 to answer questions on his government’s handling of Iran’s economic struggles.

Iranian lawmaker Assadollah Abbasi was quoted as saying by the parliament’s news agency ICANA that “It has been agreed that the parliamentary session to question the president will take place on Aug. 28.” It is the irst time parliament has summoned Rouhani, who is under pressure from hardline rivals to change his cabinet following a deterioration in relations with the United States and Iran’s growing economic dificulties.

Lawmakers want to question Rouhani on topics including the decline of the Iranian rial, which has lost more than half its value since April, as well as weak economic growth and rising unemployment.

Separately, the Iranian navy chief was quoted as saying on Saturday that Iran’s navy has mounted a locally built advanced defensive weapons system on one of its warships for the irst time as tensions mount with the US military in the Gulf.

Iran’ s revolutionary guards con ir med earlier this month it held war games in the Gulf, saying they were aimed at “confronting possible threats” by enemies.

The US military’s Central Command conirmed it had seen increased Iranian naval activity, extending to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway for oil shipments the Revolutionary Guards have threatened to block.

Iran has been furious over US President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of an international agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme and reimpose sanctions on Tehran.