Amid concerns about the fate of the 2015 nuclear deal, prominent hard-line member of parliament Mojtaba Zonnour, known for his harsh positions against the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has been elected chairman of Iran’s parliamentary foreign policy commission, raising concerns about additional pressures on the moderate government of President Hassan Rouhani.
On June 23, following the formation of a coalition between hard-liners and members of parliament close to Speaker Ali Larijani, Zonnour replaced moderate Hesmatollah Falahatpishe, whose statements during his one-year chairmanship had raised eyebrows among conservatives.
