DUBAI, May 27. /TASS/. The Iranian Majlis (unicameral parliament) of the 12th convocation held its first session under the chairmanship of senior MP Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the IRIB TV channel broadcast live.

The session began with a readout from the Quran after which all parliamentarians were sworn in. After that, Head of the Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader Mohammadi Golpayegani relayed a message from Ali Khamenei to the newly elected parliamentarians. The leader reminded that each of them is a representative of the Iranian people and the main task of the Majlis is to ensure the national interests of the country and its people. Acting President Mohammad Mokhber and Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi also delivered welcoming speeches.

Numerous high-ranking officials from other branches of government and security agencies attended the meeting. Head of the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff Mohammad Bagheri, Commander-In-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Hossein Salami, Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, and grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (leader of the Islamic Revolution 1978-1979), Sayyid Hassan Khomeini, were present. Photos of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian were placed on their empty seats. Each of the speakers honored the memory of the victims and emphasized that Raisi and Abdollahian had made invaluable contributions to the country's development. According to Mokhber, a world leader noted in a conversation with him that President Raisi had managed to change the balance of power globally through joint efforts.

Until the official inauguration of the Majlis Presidium, which consists of the chairman, two deputies, six secretaries and three observers, its functions are performed by the two oldest and two youngest members of parliament based on internal regulations.

Majlis elections were held on March 1, 2024. They took place simultaneously with the elections to the Council of Experts, the main function of which is to elect the country's head and spiritual leader. According to the election headquarters, the turnout was 41%.

The Majlis consists of 290 members. The Iranian constitution provides for the possibility of changing the number of members of parliament, taking into account political, geographical and other factors; every 10 years the number of Majlis members can be increased by 20 people. Five seats are reserved for religious minorities: Assyrian Christians and Chaldeans together elect one member, while Armenian Christians elect two, and Jews and Zoroastrians elect one each. Each member holds office for four years.