Tehran- The Iranian parliament on Sunday approved the appointment of three new ministers to the cabinet of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Hamid-Reza Haji-Babaei is the new education minister, Sadeq Mahsouli has been given the social welfare portfolio and Majid Namjou becomes energy minister.

Their appointment follows parliament's rejection last September of three proposed ministers, two of them women.

Ahmadinejad had initially wanted to have at least one more woman in his cabinet but apparently revised his decision.

Health Minister Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi, the first-ever female minister in the 30-year history of the Islamic republic, will therefore remain the only woman in cabinet. (dpa)