Khameini warns new Iranian parliament against Western 'schemes'
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei repeated his call for loyalty to the principles of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, under threat by western influence.
By JPOST.COM STAFFUpdated: MAY 28, 2016 13:22Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei(photo credit: LEADER.IR / AFP)
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged newly elected Iranian lawmakers to resist "schemes" from the West, AFP reported on Saturday.Addressing members of the new parliament, who met for the first time since elections were held in April, said: "The turbulent state of the region and the world and the international adventurism of oppressors and their vassals have confronted the Islamic Iran with conditions more complicated than before."Khamenei, who as Iran's supreme leader has final jurisdiction over all matters related to the country, repeated his call for loyalty to the principles of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, under threat by western influence."It is the revolutionary and legal duty of you to make the parliament a stronghold against the schemes, charms and impudently excessive demands of the Arrogance," he said.Western nations, in particular the United States, are commonly referred to as "the Arrogance," a term coined by the founder of the Islamic republic Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.The 290-member parliament was inaugurated, although the position for speaker of the house and the presiding board have yet to be decided. The key positions will determine whether Iran's conservatives or moderate-allies of incumbent President Hassan Rouhani will have a working majority.