Iran's Reform Movement, which holds the parliamentary majority, was dealt a severe blow May 26. Ali Motahari, an independent candidate endorsed by the camp, lost the race for deputy speaker, a position he had firmly maintained for three consecutive years. The outspoken lawmaker, known for his ferocious attacks on hard-liners, failed to garner enough votes and was replaced by the conservative camp's candidate, Abdurreza Mesri. Mesri had served as minister for welfare in ex-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Cabinet from October 2006 to September 2009.
Top Reformist figures largely blamed the defeat on Mohammad Reza Aref, leader of the “Hope” coalition of Reformist and centrist candidates for parliament. They accused him of being too passive during the campaign for parliament's presiding board. Gholam-Hossein Karbaschi, secretary-general of the Executives of Construction Party — the Reform Movement's largest political group — was among the very first who took aim at Aref in a sarcastic tweet: "Thanks to the relentless efforts put forward by Mr. Aref and his entourage, Ali Motahari lost the deputy speaker post."
