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Iran's president said yesterday that he will nominate three women to join his new Cabinet. The move could produce the first female ministers in the country in over 30 years.

The announcement appears to be an attempt by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to enlist the support of Iranian women as he fends off criticism from the opposition that his June re-election was fraudulent. The appointments seem unlikely to appease reformists since both women he named yesterday are fellow hard-liners.

Yesterday, Teheran put on trial 25 more activists and opposition supporters, for their alleged involvement in the turmoil following the recent presidential election. The new defendants brought the total number to 135.

Ahmadinejad has declared those who took to the streets after his disputed victory to be agents of foreign enemies seeking to topple the country's Islamic system.

He said the West must be held accountable for stoking unrest in Iran after the June 12 presidential vote. The new indictment charged that some of the defendants had used explosives and attacked Basij (voluntary militia) forces.

Ahmadinejad was sworn in on August 5 for a second term amid prolonged controversy over his landslide victory. He won 62.63 percent of the total ballots in the election, while his main rival Mir-Hossein Mousavi got 33.75 percent.

Mousavi's supporters have participated in massive rallies in Teheran and other cities following the disputed election. Moussavi announced the formation of a new social and political movement on Saturday, following through on a promise made last month.

In a live TV interview, Ahmadinejad nominated six proposed candidates for his new Cabinet, including two women nominees. He said at least one other woman would also be added to the list that he would forward to the parliament on Wednesday.

Iran's Cabinet has 21 ministers and 12 vice presidents. Ahmadinejad currently has a female vice president on his Cabinet who is in charge of the environment. Iran's last female minister, Farrokhroo Parsay, served from 1968 to 1977. She was executed on charges of corruption after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Questions:

1. When was the last time Iran had female ministers?

2. Who ran against Ahmadinejad in the June election?

3. Why was Iran’s last female minister executed in 1979?

Answers:

1. Over 30 years ago.

2. Mir-Hossein Mousavi.

3. For charges of corruption after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

（英语点津 Helen 编辑）

About the broadcaster:

Nancy Matos is a foreign expert at China Daily Website. Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Nancy is a graduate of the Broadcast Journalism and Media program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Her journalism career in broadcast and print has taken her around the world from New York to Portugal and now Beijing. Nancy is happy to make the move to China and join the China Daily team.