Iranian lawmakers today approved 16 Cabinet members nominated by recently re-elected President Hassan Rouhani, including the first Defense Minister unaffiliated with the elite, hard-line Revolutionary Guard in 25 years. <br/><br/>Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said 16 of 17 proposed ministers were approved, among them Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who negotiated the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. The appointment indicates that both the moderate Rouhani and Parliament remain pragmatic in controlling tensions between Iran and other world powers.<br/><br/>In July, Iran launched a rocket capable of carrying a satellite, a move that provoked international condemnation, including from France, Britain and the U.S. All three countries were among the world powers that reached the nuclear deal with Iran.