Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday he plans to appoint at least three women ministers to his new Cabinet to be formally revealed next week, a first in the Islamic republic.

Mr Ahmadinejad, a hardliner whose re-election in June set off the worst crisis in the 30-year history of the Islamic republic, said he would submit his new lineup to the 290-member Parliament on Wednesday.

He will propose Fatemeh Ajorlou for the welfare and social security ministry and Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi for the health ministry, he said in a television interview.

"At least one other woman will be presented," he added.

Mr Ahmadinejad also announced his choice for the powerful intelligence portfolio, after sacking the previous holder in a row over another controversial appointment, and said he will keep the same industry and economy ministers.

The main criteria for joining his new team are "morality and commitment, efficiency as well as convergence and spirit of cooperation," he said, adding that there would also be younger people in the Cabinet.

The 52-year-old was sworn in on August 5 for a second four-year term although the declaration of his victory triggered massive street protests by opposition demonstrators who believe the result was rigged.

In his inauguration speech, Mr Ahmadinejad said he will continue to resist "oppressive powers," pledging to campaign for social justice and root out corruption.

But in the election aftermath, Mr Ahmadinejad also found himself at loggerheads with powerful elements within his own conservative support base over his tardiness in dismissing his nominee as first vice president despite orders from supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

He had come under fire during his first tenure for frequently reshuffling the cabinet, sacking 10 ministers and two central bank chiefs and retaining inexperienced ministers.

It may not be smooth sailing for his new government line-up either.

The nomination of Ms Ajorlou is likely to stir controversy because of her involvement in the case of Abbas Palizdar, an Ahmadinejad supporter who was jailed for accusing several senior clerics, including former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, and their children of corruption.