TEHRAN, FEBRUARY 27 (RIA Novosti correspondent Nikolai Terekhov) - Speaker Mehdi Kiarrubi of the Majlis will not take part in an upcoming parliamentary runoff. He, nevertheless, does not intend to leave active politics.
"I have never said I am quitting the political arena, but I see no reason in taking part in the runoff of an election that is practically settled," he says in a statement circulated today.
New Iranian parliamentarians will have two principal duties - legislation and monitoring. They must also take into due consideration the national interests of the Islamic order and statehood, the parliamentary leader points out.
A majority in the 7th convocation Majlis will belong to conservatives - in particular, the Prosperity Party of Islamic Iran, with its motto of, "Development not in dreams alone".
The new parliament will open, May 29, to elect another Speaker at its maiden session.
