TEHRAN – Having the distinction of being the only candidate, the leading conservative lawmaker Ali Larijani was re-elected speaker of Iran’s parliament on Wednesday, the tenth in a row lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to keep him in the position.  

Incumbent Larijani won 204 out of 268 votes, as compared to 237 votes of 276 lawmakers present in the 290-seat house last year.  

The re-election makes Larijani the longest serving parliament speaker since the victory of the Islamic revolution in 1979, superseding Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who held the position for nine years. 

“For us (the newly elected presiding board), your trust is an immense responsibility,” Larijani spoke to lawmakers after the re-election. 

“Considering the heavy responsibility you vested in me, I hope I can steer the body in such a way to materialize the will of nation to solve the country’s problems.” 

Also, Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist and former health minister representing Tabriz, and Ali Motahhari, a moderate conservative representing Tehran, were re-elected first and second deputy heads of the body, respectively, each garnering 179 and 163 votes in a total of 253 votes. 

The two were backed for the posts by the pro-reform Hope faction.   

Hamidreza Hajibabayee, a principlist MP representing Hamadan, and Hadi Qavami, another principlist representing Esfarayen from North Khorasan province, competed with Pezeshkian and Motahari for the posts. 

Who is Ali Larijani
Prior to taking on the role of speaker in 2008, Larijani served as culture minister from 1992 until he was appointed as head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting in 1994, a position he held for 10 years. 

Throughout his political life as parliament speaker, Larijani, 58, has demonstrated leadership qualities, political savviness, pragmatism, moderation, and a considerable power of persuasion. 

He led the nuclear negotiations with the West for a period before being ousted from the role by President Ahmadinejad in 2007. 

In 2010, under his leadership Majlis passed the hotly debated, controversial subsidy reform plan introduced by the Ahmadinejad administration. 

He seemed unruffled during a parliamentary session in 2012 when Ahmadinejad played a video clip of a conversation in which one of Larijani’s brothers, Fazel, appeared to discuss the purchase of a state company under favorable terms. 

Additionally, Larijani, who has a PhD in Western Philosophy, stigmatized storming of Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad in January 2016. 

Larijani has supported in recent years the government of President Hassan Rouhani, lobbying for the passage of a bill to approve the 2015 international nuclear deal with world powers, which proved a victory for the government over opponents who worried the accord opens a door to wider rapprochement with the West.

The moderate conservative also voiced implicit support for reelection of Rouhani, challenging populist slogans by rivals. 

Larijani was unofficially said to have been shortlisted to replace the late Rafsanjani, known in the Iranian society for his political dynamism. 

NA/AK/PA