Eurasia Press & News
TEHRAN (FNA)- Former chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani on Saturday celebrated winning a seat in Iran’s parliament by saying he differed with the president over style not substance and that he would work with the government.
Larijani quit his post last year citing some differences with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the style through which the country’s nuclear row with the West should be handled. He also mentioned his tendency for becoming a lawmaker as another major reason for resigning his post as Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary and top nuclear negotiator.
Speaking in Qom, the city where he won a seat in Friday’s election, Larijani offered to cooperate with the government, and said he had no fundamental dispute with Ahmadinejad.
“We have no confrontation of any kind with Mr. Ahmadinejad and we pursue a path of cooperation between parliament and the government,” Larijani told a news conference.
Asked if he would vie for the top post of speaker in the new parliament, Larijani said he would leave that to the assembly.
Conservatives, who count Larijani in their ranks, are expected to retain control of the 290-seat assembly, based on partial results.
“We have no differences with Mr. Ahmadinejad in respect to ideological issues. There might be some differences with respect to the approach to management,” Larijani said, referring to what he called “differences in style”.
Larijani said the new parliament would “listen to the needs of society and take practical steps towards their resolution”.
Asked about any possible US attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, he said, “It is our understanding that they have no interest in sticking their hand into a beehive.”
