Will Islamic Consultative Assembly confirm the Iran deal?

Ali Motahari, a principlist Tehran MP, says that the nuclear deal Iran clinched with P5+1 on July 14 will clear the Islamic Consultative Assembly.

Motahari said that the nuclear deal, which is viewed as an international treaty, should be put to a vote in the Iranian parliament and added that parliament has a positive attitude toward the deal.

Entekhab.ir published the remarks of the principlist deputy on July 25 on how the Islamic Consultative Assembly will react to the Iran nuclear deal. The following is the translation of what else Motahari said:

Motahari said that parliament should express its view on the text of the deal, rejecting as untrue comments that only the Supreme National Security Council should pass the nuclear deal’s text.

He said, “We should not downplay the role of parliament and diminish its powers, because the country might be hurt by another issue in the future [if parliament is denied its legislative powers to weigh in when it comes to issues concerning the country].”

Under the Constitution, parliament has a big role to play and holds considerable powers, he said, adding that the Constitution says parliament is the sole lawmaking body in the country, although the formation of different councils – which at times make laws – has practically restricted the chamber’s powers.

The Tehran MP went on to say that the Supreme National Security Council can only play a consultative role and offer advice to parliament, but it cannot take on the role of parliament when it comes to the adoption of the deal. He also said that parliament can only approve or disapprove the nuclear deal in its entirety, but it cannot go into details [of the historic deal].

As for a demand by fellow MPs that the outcomes of nuclear talks be submitted to parliament as a bill, he said, “That demand sounds correct, because this [the nuclear deal] is an international accord and under Articles 77 and 125 of the Constitution, the deal – like any other international deal and treaty – should secure the approval of parliament.

“If parliament is stripped of its powers [to pass the deal], this will set a [bad] precedent in the future for taking illegal measures and circumventing the legislative body. I insist that the text [of the nuclear deal] pass the Islamic Consultative Assembly,” he concluded.