<p>Iran's parliament voted in an impeachment session on Sunday to remove the industry minister amid soaring prices as the Islamic Republic's economy reels under the pressure of international sanctions.</p>.<p>Reza Fatemi Amin failed to garner enough support in a vote of confidence that saw 162 MPs vote in favour of his removal and 102 against.</p>.<p>It was the second time he had faced such a vote in parliament over the same issues, after securing 182 votes in a November majority vote that meant he stayed in the post.</p>.<p>A major factor in the new impeachment was the rising price of domestically manufactured vehicles after foreign imports dried up because of sanctions over Iran's nuclear ambitions.</p>.<p>Last year the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in major policies, criticised the high prices and low quality of home-made products including cars.</p>.<p>Sunday's vote came with the economy battered by Western sanctions, rampant inflation and record depreciation of the rial against the dollar since 2018 when then-president Donald Trump withdrew the US from a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran and reimposed biting sanctions.</p>.<p>Defending the minister ahead of the vote, President Ebrahim Raisi had urged "stability in the management of this ministry".</p>.<p>And Fatemi Amin himself argued: "The automobile industry is based on assembly and domestication, so it has problems with the ups and downs of sanctions."</p>.<p>But MP Lotfollah Siahkali accused the minister of reporting wrong numbers to the president about growth in the sector.</p>.<p>"If there is growth, why don't we see it in people's lives?" he asked, adding that the ministry should leave the auto industry to the private sector.</p>.<p>A simple majority in parliament is all that is required for such a vote to go through.</p>.<p>Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf announced the results of the vote during a session broadcast live on state television.</p>
<p>Iran's parliament voted in an impeachment session on Sunday to remove the industry minister amid soaring prices as the Islamic Republic's economy reels under the pressure of international sanctions.</p>.<p>Reza Fatemi Amin failed to garner enough support in a vote of confidence that saw 162 MPs vote in favour of his removal and 102 against.</p>.<p>It was the second time he had faced such a vote in parliament over the same issues, after securing 182 votes in a November majority vote that meant he stayed in the post.</p>.<p>A major factor in the new impeachment was the rising price of domestically manufactured vehicles after foreign imports dried up because of sanctions over Iran's nuclear ambitions.</p>.<p>Last year the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in major policies, criticised the high prices and low quality of home-made products including cars.</p>.<p>Sunday's vote came with the economy battered by Western sanctions, rampant inflation and record depreciation of the rial against the dollar since 2018 when then-president Donald Trump withdrew the US from a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran and reimposed biting sanctions.</p>.<p>Defending the minister ahead of the vote, President Ebrahim Raisi had urged "stability in the management of this ministry".</p>.<p>And Fatemi Amin himself argued: "The automobile industry is based on assembly and domestication, so it has problems with the ups and downs of sanctions."</p>.<p>But MP Lotfollah Siahkali accused the minister of reporting wrong numbers to the president about growth in the sector.</p>.<p>"If there is growth, why don't we see it in people's lives?" he asked, adding that the ministry should leave the auto industry to the private sector.</p>.<p>A simple majority in parliament is all that is required for such a vote to go through.</p>.<p>Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf announced the results of the vote during a session broadcast live on state television.</p>