Iran's Ahmadinejad sacks three ministers: Press TV

TEHRAN, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sacked ministers of Labor, Culture and Intelligence over the row on his first deputy pick, the satellite Press TV reported on Sunday.

Intelligence Minister Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, Islamic Culture and Guidance Minister Mohammad-Hassan Saffar-Harandi and Labor Minister Mohammad Jahromi were sacked from their posts on Sunday.

The dismissal follows the ministers' criticisms of president's decision about Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei's pick as his first deputy.

Rahim-Mashaei was the ex-vice president and the head of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization.

Reports on Sunday also claimed that Health Minister Kamran Baqeri-Lankarani was also relieved from duty. The ministry, however, denied the reports in a telephone conversation with PressTV.