Iranian media outlets reported that internal elections for the presidium of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Parliament) were held on Monday morning, May 25, with more than 270 lawmakers participating. The vote resulted in Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf once again securing the position of parliament speaker.
According to the reports, the elections began at 7:30 AM, with lawmakers casting secret ballots in person to elect the 12 members of the presidium, including one speaker, two deputy speakers, six secretaries, and three observers.
Fars News Agency reported that out of 285 sitting lawmakers, 271 took part in the vote, with 235 members supporting Qalibaf’s re-election as speaker.
In the contest for the speakership, Mohammad-Taqi Naqdali received 29 votes, while Osman Salari secured 7 votes. Another 5 ballots were left blank. According to the temporary presidium, a total of 276 ballot papers had been distributed among lawmakers.
With this victory, Qalibaf will continue as parliament speaker for the seventh consecutive year. The former police commander and ex-mayor of Tehran is regarded as one of the leading figures within the Islamic Republic’s principlist (conservative) camp. In recent months, he has also taken on the role of the Islamic Republic’s main negotiator in ongoing talks with the United States.
