Iran's former road minister Rostam Ghasemi dies of illeness

Rostam Ghasemi, the former Minister of Roads and Urban Development and one of the veterans of the Holy Defense against Western-backed Saddam regime, died after a long struggle with illness on Thursday morning.

Last year and a few months after the late Ghasemi was elected to the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, signs of illness appeared in him, but he continued his duties with all his might while going under treatment. Unfortunately, his health situation deteriorated about two months ago. For that, he asked president Ebrahim Raeisi to agree to his resignation and after the president accepted his resignation, he immediately began a serious treatment process, but unfortunately, he was terminally ill and the treatment did not work, and finally, today, he left his family and all his friends and comrades are in grief.

He was minister of petroleum from 3 August 2011 to 15 August 2013. He also served as the economic deputy of IRGC Quds Force when Martyr Qassem Soleimani was the force's chief.

Mehrdad Bazrpash was appointed as the caretaker road minister after Ghasemi resigned and he was given vote of confidence by the lawmakers at the Iranian parliament a few days ago.