The newly-elected lawmakers in Iran held the first session of the 11th parliament after victory of the Islamic Revolution on Wednesday.
The new parliament, known as Majlis in Iran, kicked off on Wednesday morning with President Hassan Rouhani, Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Ra’eisi, and Secretary of the Guardian Council Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati in attendance.
This ceremony was held with fewer attendants due to the spread of the new coronavirus which has hit Iran worse than any other country in the region.
According to the procedures, an interim presiding board formed by the oldest lawmakers, managed the session and it would decide on a date to hold a session to endorse the credentials of the new MPs and elect an official presiding board.
Seyed Reza Taqavi, a cleric representing the people of Tehran and the oldest among the MPs, was elected as the interim speaker of the parliament.
A message from Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei was read to the lawmakers by the Leader’s chief of staff.
The present parliament is dominated by principlists while the previous legislature was mainly composed of pro-reform figures.
Although more closely allied with reformists, Rouhani has announced that his administration will work with the new Majlis within the framework of the constitution.
There are 290 seats in the Iran's Majlis. The lawmakers are elected for a 4-year term, with no limitation for the incumbent or former parliamentarians to run again.