MNA – Iranian lawmakers have elected Ali Larijani as the speaker of the parliament for the 12th consecutive year.

During an open session of the parliament on Sunday, the parliamentarians voted to choose members of the parliament’s presiding board, during which Larijani remained in the post by garnering 155 votes out of 274.

Mohammad Reza Aref with 105 votes and Mohammad Javad Abtahi with 9 votes were the other candidates for the post.

Larijani has been the parliament speaker since 2008. He had served as the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council before being elected as a lawmaker from Qom.

>> Deputy speakers

Also during today’s open session, Masoud Pezeshkian and Abdolreza Mesri were elected as the first and second deputy speakers of the Parliament.

Ali Motahari had served as the second deputy speaker of the Parliament for the last three years.

The Iranian parliament currently has 290 representatives, changed from the previous 272 seats since the February 2000 election.

The lawmakers take the seats for a four-year term.