New parliament valuable asset, brings fresh hopes for Iran: Ayatollah Khamenei

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says every new parliament is a valuable and useful asset, which will bring fresh hopes for Iran.

The Leader made the remarks in a meeting with the chairman and members of the Assembly of Experts in Tehran on Thursday, days after Iran held a parliamentary election marked by Principlists leading in the capital of Tehran and many other cities. 

The parliamentary election was twinned with a vote for the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body in charge of overseeing the activities of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution with a position of authority to either appoint or dismiss the Leader.

A total of 61.17 million people, comprising 30.94 million men and 30.22 million women, were eligible to vote in the two elections, with the interior ministry saying more than 25 million cast their ballots at the polls.

Ayatollah Khamenei said a new parliament is like fresh blood in Iran's political and social structure.

The Leader urged the newly-elected Iranian lawmakers to be cautious not to embitter the nation and the political atmosphere of the country.

Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized that divisive words, quarrels and hostilities, which are favorable to the enemy, can kill the "sweetness" of the new parliament, advising the new lawmakers “to be very careful."

Addressing members of the Assembly of Experts, the Leader said the body should never overlook the fixed principles of the Islamic Republic in its decisions.

There are currently 290 seats in the Iranian parliament, known as Majlis, elected by direct vote of people in nationwide elections for four years.

The Assembly of Experts is a high-ranking body whose members are directly elected to office by people for an eight-year term. It holds biannual meetings to appoint a new chairman.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the recent tragic events in the Gaza Strip were a clear example of the arrogant front's oppression and aggression against the owners of a land, the destruction of their assets and brutal killing of women and children.

The Islamic Republic opposes such atrocities and crimes which are supported by the US, Britain and some European countries, despite the fact that they are condemned by common sense, Sharia and human conscience, the Leader emphasized.

"It should be made clear and obvious that the arrogant front has disguised cruelty, oppression, aggression and killing in the name of democracy, human rights and liberalism," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Leader emphasized that Iran should always stand at the forefront of the battle against global arrogance and added that the country should strengthen its fight every day and never allow anyone to defeat it.

Iran stands up to oppression, arrogance and aggression, the Leader said.

Ayatollah Khamenei explained that Iran has no conflict with governments, countries and nations but it opposes oppression, arrogance and aggression, like the events currently unfolding in Gaza.

A nation is being oppressed in its own homeland, the Leader lamented, adding that women, children and family members are being killed in cold blood and the nation’s infrastructure is destroyed.

However, some countries are only watching such criminal acts unfold and instead of ending their support for the perpetrators, they rather help them, Ayatollah Khamenei stated.

The Leader reiterated that Iran opposes the help provided by the US, Britain and some European countries to the perpetrators of such criminal acts.

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