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.
