Austria willing to widen parliamentary ties with Iran

Tehran, June 14, IRNA - President of the National Council of Austria Wolfgang Sobotka hoped that parliamentary relations between Vienna and Tehran would develop during the tenure of the new Iranian parliament which took office less than a month ago. Sobotka made the remarks through a message of congratulation to Iran's newly-elected Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. On May 28, Qalibaf with 230 votes out of a total of 264 was elected as Iran's new parliament whose representatives were elected after the February elections in Iran. As Sobotka said in his message, parliament as democracy's beaten heart plays a key role in societies. Parliaments play an important role in and out of the countries to build confidence and relieve tensions through dialogue, the Austrian speaker said while expressing hope that parliamentary relations between Vienna and Tehran would be expanded. At the end of the message, Sobotka wished success for Qalibaf during his post. The 11th round of the Iranian Parliament opened on May 27 at a ceremony in the presence of President Hassan Rouhani.