"The mountain laid a small mouse", observed Mr. Fereydoon Khavand, a Paris-based professor of economy and expert, commenting the President’s new government that, contrary to expectations and calls from reformers, is almost the same as the previous one except for some minor ministries.

All key ministers, namely the Interior, the Foreign Affairs, the Defence, the Intelligence and the Oil, generally known as the "leader’s ministers", kept their job despite criticisms raised against them, like Mr. Kamal Kharrazi, Bizhan Namdar-Zanganeh or Admiral Ali Shamkhani for various reasons, ranging from mismanagement to running against Mr. Khatami in the recent presidential elections.

"There are three forces in Iran, the right (conservatives), the left (the reformers) and the Kargozaran", Mr. Heydari said, referring to the increasing power the former president Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani wields in the regime’s structure, as most of the ministers belongs to his Servant of Reconstruction Party.

"Having been given the strongest mandate in the contemporary history of this country, the president has the highest responsibility in the goal of achieving a better life for the people", the pro-government English-language "Iran Daily" wrote Sunday, urging Mr. Khatami to use "meritocracy" as the criteria for appointing government administrators.

That despite a landslide votes Mr. Khatami was not able to make any important change in forming his new cabinet shows that he is more impotent than expected, analysts said.

"The new government clearly shows that the regime has reached a dead end and blocked", Dr. Khavand, noting that ever since the victory of the Islamic revolution, almost the same ones have served under different presidents.

Iranian political analysts were unanimous in expecting both the Majles and the Second Khordad Coalition challenging Mr. Khatami’s new cabinet.

"Majles would not confirm ministers who are not in tune with people’s demands", said one reformist MM (Member of Majles) while another one went even further, saying that lawmakers would "definitely reject some of Mr. Khatami’s choices" (as ministers).

"A Majles deprived of immunity, a Majles that is being harnessed, a Majles that is prevented from making laws, that has been refused investigating, that has been placed under the yoke of the Guardians Council and Discerning Assembly, a Majles where lawmakers are afraid to express their views publicly, how such a House can play his role in the society, as expected by the voters?" said another reformist lawmaker.

He was referring to a recent decision by the DA to refuse lawmakers investigating institutions and organisations placed under the control of the leader as well as to the Judiciary bringing to courts some MMs for statements made during Majles’s open sessions.

Head of IIPF faction at the parliament Mr. Mohammad Na’imipoor told reporters that there is possibility that the ministers list would not be welcomed by the House, adding that the parliament reserves the right to ratify or reject credentials of some of the ministers.

"The IIPF is compiling information about why the president has placed certain names in the list for the next cabinet", Mr. Na’imipoor said, casting doubt over the decision made by the president, for example the portfolio of the Education Ministry for which the president (surprisingly) has introduced the former Minister of Cooperatives Morteza Haji.

He said that serious questions have remained unanswered about the portfolios of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and the Ministry of Cooperatives as well as the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Defence and the Commerce Ministry.

The MP from the IIPF wing said that Majles has a critical question about the responsibility of the Minister of Justice before the parliament adding that first of all "we should make it clear whether or not Hojjatoleslam Isma’il Shushtari is accountable to the parliament on judicial affairs.

"If the minister of justice is not responsible before the parliament regarding judicial affairs, then the parliament will hesitate to give a vote of confidence to him" the MM said, referring to the Justice Minister declarations that he lacked authority concerning the clampdown imposed by the Judiciary over the press.

Asked whether the president had consulted with religious leaders on the list of the ministers for the next cabinet, another MM from the IIPF Rajab Ali Mazrou’i said that though the law do not require the President to do so, but admitted that the president had consulted with many people on the list, the official news agency IRNA quoted him as having said.

He said that the IIPF was willing to see a 50 percent change in the composition of the cabinet for the second term adding that the new list shows about a 30 to 35 percent change only.

But Mr. Khavand says Mr. Khatami’s nominations are well calculated, translating his "genuine" desire to co-operate with the leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i and the conservatives.

Here is the list of the new cabinet as proposed to the Majles for confirmation: