MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Principlist Ali Larijani, who led the parliament since 2008, gained backing from 173 lawmakers in the 290-member parliament, the Press TV broadcaster said. He was challenged by Reformist Mohammad Reza Aref.
Around 54 million Iranians were eligible to vote in the February 26 elections that pit the Principlist Coalition against the Pervasive Coalition of Reformists. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s moderate bloc won the largest share of seats at 143 mandates, but failed to secure a majority.
The new Iranian legislature was inaugurated on Saturday.
