Ahmadinejad faces court challenge

Iran's parliament has voted to refer President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the judiciary ( AP)

Iran's parliament has voted to refer President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the judiciary over what politicians say is a violation of the constitution.

Although it's unclear whether there will be a lawsuit against Mr Ahmadinejad, today's vote in parliament shows the majority of Iranian MPs are siding with the Guardian Council - the country's constitutional watchdog body - in an ongoing controversy with the president.

The legislators voted 165-1 in favour of legal action against President Ahmadinejad over his move last month to declare himself caretaker oil minister after he sacked Masoud Mirkazemi under a Cabinet reshuffle plan.

A parliament report says Mr Ahmadinejad's action was in "obvious violation of the constitution."

The remaining MPs in the 290-member assembly were either absent or abstained.