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Iranian Parliament under Principlists Control as Larijani Elected Speaker for Third Time | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Iran’s parliament speaker Ali Larijani holds a news conference in Istanbul January 22, 2015. REUTERS/Osman Orsal


London – It wasn’t difficult for Ali Larijani to maintain office as Iranian Speaker after head of “List of Hope” Mohammed Reza Aref admitted defeat. Larijani’s win was expected as he received support from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Revolutionary Guard.

Larijani, a principlist candidate, was elected as the speaker of new Majlis for one year after attaining 237 votes out of 276 whereas reformist Mostafa Kavakebian won only 11 votes. This came three days after Larijani was voted a temporary Speaker by winning over reformist candidate Mohammad Reza Aref. Aref announced his defeat after the temporary Speaker elections last Sunday. Through his account, Aref announced that he nominated Kavakebian for the Speaker position.

Revolutionary Guard News Agency Fars reported that Larijiani refused Kavakebian’s withdrawal from elections as all reformists’ hopes were dissipated after both reformists Masoud Pezeshkian and Ali Motahari were elected as the first and second vice speakers.

Final results of the elections revealed that principlists won seven seats of the presidential committee, five for the coalition of the Moderates and Reformists, and three for the “List of Hope”.

The new presidential formation revealed that the wills of by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Revolutionary Guard prevail.

It is worth mentioning that General Qasem Soleimani supported Larijani in the elections which led a number of independent candidates to join Larijani’s bloc.

Last week, disagreements occurred within the coalition of the Moderates and Reformists as reformist newspapers attacked the Moderate Movement which is close to Rafsanjani and Rouhani.

The tenth round of the Iranian parliament began its work on Saturday with a message from Khamenei.

Born in Najaf, Iraq on January 2, 1957, Ali Larijani gradually entered the politics after forming the political bureau of Revolutionary Guard. For ten years, Larijani served as political assistant of Revolutionary Guard commander. He is the second Speaker, after Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, to head the parliament for three times.

Of the most prominent positions he took, Larijani was chief of Radio and TV for ten years during which he defended the executions and assassinations of hundreds of politicians. He was dubbed “Minister of War” for his tendencies towards struggles and wars. Larijani also authorized a number of executions and prison sentences for members of the opposition.

During the last ten years, the Larijani brothers fortified their political positions as Ali became Speaker of Iranian Parliament, and his brother Sadeq heading the judicial authority by a direct order from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Since becoming Supreme Leader, Khamenei chose Larijani as his representative in the Supreme National Security Council until he served as Secretary General of the council in 2004 and stayed in position until he resigned 26 months later.

Larijani played a key role in the Iranian-U.S. relations between 2001 and 2006 regarding the Iraqi and Afghani issues. He was also responsible for Iraqi file in Iran after the year of 2003.

In 2005, Larijani was in the race for the presidential elections but came sixth among seven candidates.

After the incidents in 2009, Larijani played an important role in suppressing the protests through commanding an investigation committee which also concealed many of the transgressions of the Iranian Security Forces.

Larijani has an amicable relationship with the current president due to the common interests between them both despite apparent differences.

During the presidency of Ahmadi Najad, between 2009 and 2013, there were several disagreements between Najad and Larijani which led to the resignation of Larajani from his position as Sec. Gen. of Supreme National Security Council. Najadi accused Larijani of weak management of the nuclear file. Disagreement between the two peaked when Najadi’s team played a video showing Larijani’s youngest brother, Baqer, offering Judge Saeed Mertawadi a large amount of money to be invested in social security institution. Mertawadi was involved in killing protesters in 2009.