Iran’s Transport Minister Rostam Qassemi steps down, caretaker appointed

ranian President Ebrahim Raisi accepted Qassemi’s resignation on Tuesday, expressing gratitude for his efforts at the ministry and wished him swift recovery.

Raisi also named Qassemi’s deputy, Shahriyar Afandizadeh, as caretaker transport minister.

In August, Qassemi was hospitalized in Tehran, where he underwent a back surgery following an incident.

Qassemi, a former commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corp (IRGC)’s Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters, is also said to be suffering from cancer and undergoing chemotherapy.

Over the past months. Qassemi had reportedly been embroiled in two scandals, promoting calls for him to tender his resignation.

In one scandal, Qassemi’s advisor, ًQassem Makarem Shirazi, was arrested by authorities reportedly for receiving bribes in August.
Later, the minister took another blow after his private images emerged on social media, purportedly showing Qassemi holidaying with what appeared to be his wife, who is without a headscarf, in Malaysia.