Critics Accuse Iranian Parliament Speaker Qalibaf of Blocking Key Legislation
Source: Middle East Spectator — MES · Sat, Jun 20, 2026 · 12:14 UTC
Opposition figures claim that Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, has repeatedly delayed or blocked important votes, including a proposed exit from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a stricter hijab enforcement law. They allege he kept parliament in recess to suppress dissent over a memorandum of understanding and note that he failed to forward the hijab law to the president for signing, despite its passage by a large majority and approval by the Guardian Council. Critics say Qalibaf’s actions have undermined his credibility and served reformist interests despite his revolutionary image and IRGC background.
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— Yes, the fact that Qalibaf keeps Parliament closed in order to shut down any dissent for the MoU, is very worrying.
And it should be noted that even BEFORE the war, Qalibaf regularly failed to execute his duties as Parliament Speaker.
He deliberately postponed the vote on leaving the NPT, multiple times, until it was eventually shelved ‘indefinitely’ despite there being a big chance that it would’ve achieved a parliamentary majority.
And even before that. The Parliament accepted the Hijab and Chastity law (seeking stricter enforcement) in 2023 with an overwhelming 152 votes in favor and 34 against. But guess what? Despite the Guardian Council approving it, Qalibaf did not send the law to the President to be signed and implemented.
First during Raisi’s time, when he knew it would be signed—and later during Pezeshkian’s time, when he covered for the Reformists and made sure Pezeshkian didn’t need to sign it so he doesn’t lose popularity!
Qalibaf has been a joke for the past few years and nobody likes to see it because of his outwardly pro-revolutionary appearance, his history, and his IRGC ties. But he covers for Reformists 90% of the time.
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