How Iran’s next parliament will affect foreign policy
Though Iran’s conservatives will rule the upcoming parliament, they might not rule with an iron fist as some expect.
As expected, conservatives (known as Principlists) won Iran's parliamentary election Feb. 21 with about 85% of the vote. This election was a revival for conservatives after their defeat in previous parliamentary and presidential elections. More importantly, conservatives' victory could be a prelude to a win in next year’s presidential election.
If that happens, conservatives will control most political positions — the presidency, parliament, judiciary, Assembly of Experts, Guardian Council and Expediency Discernment Council — and will have great influence on domestic and foreign policy. In contrast, Reformists, who took only about 5% of the parliamentary vote, will be virtually removed from Iranian politics for a while.
It should be noted that conservatives are not homogeneous and are divided into several subgroups, including traditional, moderate, pragmatic and radical. There will be disagreements in this new parliament (the 11th parliament, which begins meeting in June) and even competition among these groups. However, their impact on domestic and foreign policy can’t be ignored.
Their influence over foreign policy prevails in three areas: spreading ideals; rigidly defining sovereignty and independence; and emphasizing an innovative and active foreign policy, sometimes without regard to circumstances in the international arena.
