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Iran’s parliament taps hard-line former IRGC commander as speaker

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the former national police chief and former mayor of the capital, Tehran, was selected as parliament speaker.
A man holds a poster of Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf one of parliamentary candidate in Tehran, Iran February 18, 2020. Picture taken February 18, 2020, Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC2Q3F9OA8S5

A former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander was installed as speaker of Iran’s parliament today, further tightening the grip of hard-liners on the country’s lawmaking body. 

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is the former mayor of Tehran, and also served as an IRGC air force commander and national police chief. The new speaker also had several failed bids for president; he lost to both Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hassan Rouhani, the current president. 

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