198 lawmakers voted in favor of Owji, 70 voted against him with 18 abstentions.

Iranian president Ebrahim Raeisi had nominated Javad Owji as the petroleum minister of the 13th Administration taking power after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

After five days of debate, Iranian parliament gave vote of confidence to Raeisi’s 19 cabinet picks.

Javad Owji was born in 1966 in Shiraz and graduated in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Petroleum Industry. He started his professional activity in the oil industry in 1990.

Previously, Owji served as the Deputy Minister of Petroleum and CEO of the National Iranian Gas Company, a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Petroleum Industry and the CEO and Vice Chairman of the Board of the South Zagros Oil and Gas Production Company.