Hassan Rouhani's new presidency in Iran is facing its first hurdle, with members of the conservative-dominated parliament questioning whether some top Cabinet nominees have supported the country's foes.
Public hearings that began Monday have turned bitterly contentious, with hard-line lawmakers singling out for particular criticism Rouhani's picks for oil minister and foreign minister.
Some observers have dismissed the challenge as little more than political theatrics from hard-liners who feel marginalized since Rouhani, a moderate cleric and former nuclear negotiator, won Iran's June 14 presidential election resoundingly. Most of Rouhani's nominees are still expected to be confirmed.
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