2nd LD: Larijani elected interim speaker of Iranian parliament

The Iranian legislators picked Ali Larijani as the interim speaker of the new Majlis (parliament) on Sunday.

Out of 281 votes, Larijani was elected with 173 votes in favor. The other candidate, Mohammad Reza Aref, who is a reformist politician, won 103 votes.

The interim speaker means the election of a chair temporarily until the lawmakers meet again to elect the final speaker for one year.

A vote for a long-term speaker is due to be held in the next few days, after the full house approves the credentials of individual parliamentarians, as required by Iran's constitution, according to Press TV.

Larijani, who was an independent candidate and favored by the principlist faction in the Majlis, was the speaker of the previous parliaments for several years.

In 2008, 2012 and 2016's parliamentary elections, Larijani won a seat from the religious city of Qom. In May 2008, Larijani became parliament speaker and was reelected for the post in the following years.

On Feb. 26. Iranians voted in parliamentary elections, while the results showed the gain of reformists although they could not seize the majority.

According to the Press TV, in February elections, reformists swept the polls, winning close to 42 percent of the ballots, followed by principlists with nearly 29 percent of the votes, and independents with 22.41 percent.

The remaining seats went to the religious minorities and candidates endorsed by both reformists and principlists. The lawmakers in Iran are elected for four years.

On Sunday vote, which is expected to be repeated for the election of a speaker for one year, independent members were crucial in electing Larijani.

Iran's new Majlis opened on Saturday with top Iranian officials urging Majlis to play active roles in the domestic and international affairs.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged the incoming lawmakers to turn the parliament into a locus to serve the country and a stronghold against the excessive demands of arrogant powers.

On Saturday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also said that although Majlis and administration are different institutions, they are bound together in many areas when it comes to the interests of the country.

To tackle the problems of the society, "we are in need of interaction between the government and the Majlis, and we are committed to the laws passed by the parliament although they might be bitter in some areas," he said addressing the opening ceremony of the new parliament. Endit