Iran parliament speaker reelected for additional year
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The Iranian parliament reelects Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf for another year after finishing his four-year tenure.
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Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, center, takes an oath during the opening ceremony of the new parliament term in Tehran, Iran, May 27, 2024 (AP)
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has been elected as the speaker of the 12th parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran, securing his position for a one-year term.
This marks Ghalibaf's return to a role he previously held for four years, bringing his experience and leadership back to the forefront of Iranian politics.
The newly-elected lawmakers convened for the first session of the 12th Parliament on Monday, May 27, following the victory of the Islamic Revolution.
Out of 287 lawmakers voting, 198 supported Qalibaf to continue in the role he first assumed in 2021. Qalibaf initially became the speaker after several unsuccessful presidential runs in 2005, 2013, and 2017, and a 12-year tenure as the mayor of Tehran, where he expanded the subway system and promoted the construction of modern high-rises.
The session, held on Monday morning, was attended by a host of high-ranking officials, among whom were acting president Mohammad Mokhber, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, senior military commanders, and foreign ambassadors to Tehran.
Ghalibaf is a trained pilot who served in the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps during the Iran-Iraq war before serving as the head of the IRGC's wing responsible for construction, Khatam al-Anbia, for several years leading efforts to rebuild. He also served as Iran's police chief, contributing greatly to the development of the force and its modernization.
The election comes weeks after the elected officials were announced following the run-off parliamentary elections that took place on May 10 as 45 MPs were declared as winners.
Mohsen Eslami announced the names of the 45 winners, with Bijan Nobaveh, Mohammad Seraj, and Abolfazl Zohrevand emerging as the top candidates in Tehran, securing a four-year term in the Iranian Parliament, known as the Majlis, which comprises 290 seats elected directly by the people.
A total of 90 candidates were competing for the 45 remaining seats in the parliament during the run-off elections held in 22 constituencies.
With the announcement, all 30 seats designated to the Tehran constituency in the new parliament have now been filled, with the remaining 14 seats determined in the first round that was held on March 1.
