Iran government has no plans to remove oil minister - spokesman

GENEVA (Reuters) - Iran’s government has no plans to remove Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh from his post, a government spokesman said on Sunday, according to the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA).

A senior Iranian lawmaker said last month he was gathering signatures in parliament to support a motion to oust Zanganeh for his inability to counter U.S. sanctions on Iran’s oil sales.

Hedayatollah Khademi said last month he still needed to gather enough signatures to move the motion forward. Similar attempts against Zanganeh have failed in recent years.

“There is no change in the government’s work programme. Zanganeh has always been active and is one of the key ministers of the government,” spokesman Ali Rabiei said. “Zanganeh’s name has always been mentioned for impeachment but I hope Zanganeh continues his role in the government. Zanganeh’s role at this time is important and parliamentarians have to help.”

The United States reimposed sanctions in November on exports of Iranian oil after U.S. President Donald Trump last year unilaterally pulled out of the 2015 accord between Iran and six world powers to curb Tehran’s nuclear programme.

(Reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh; Editing by Mark Potter)