Iranian Parliament Summons Ahmadinejad - NYTimes.com LONDON - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran appeared before the country's Parliament on Wednesday to be quizzed by lawmakers on issues including economic mismanagement, state media reported, the first interrogation of its kind since the 1979 Islamic revolution. "The president will answer ten questions on a variety of matters, including the government's failure to meet an economic growth target of 8 percent, as well as the implementation of its subsidies reform plan," the Press TV satellite broadcaster said. His appearance, following a petition by a group of legislators in February, came after parliamentary elections March 2 that seemed to strengthen Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's supreme leader, in a long-running power struggle with Mr. Ahmadinejad. The questions to be put to Mr. Ahmadinejad relate to his reported challenges to Ayatollah Khamenei, The Associated Press reported, saying the interrogation was led by Ali Motahari, a prominent opponent of the president, in an open session of the Parliament broadcast live on state radio. Mr. Ahmadinejad has been under attack by some of the same hardliners who once provided his power base. After the parliamentary elections, analysts said the legislature, known as the Majlis, had a stronger mandate to oversee the president much more closely, weakening his position. Mr. Ahmadinejad appeared on Wednesday after weeks of maneuvering since 79 lawmakers signed a petition in early February, demanding that he be questioned on issues that include some of his appointments and dismissals of key officials. Parliamentary rules require the support of a quarter of the 290 Majlis members, Although 11 lawmakers subsequently withdrew their signatures, Parliament's presiding board ruled that the questioning should proceed since the 11 legislators had not withdrawn their support in time to meet a deadline. The unusual testimony by the Iranian president coincided with growing outside pressure on Iran over its disputed nuclear program, but his testimony seemed likely to center on his leadership at home rather than in the confrontation with the West and Israel. Iran faces a tightening stranglehold of Western sanctions on its faltering economy, while Israel has shown growing impatience with the failure of diplomacy and economic pressure so far to halt Iran's uranium enrichment program. Tehran says the nuclear effort is for peaceful purposes but Western leaders say they believe Iran is seeking the capability to build nuclear weapons.