TEHRAN – Former Majlis speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel said here on Monday he has not yet decided whether to stand for presidential elections.

“Actually, I have not yet decided for presidential elections,” he told reporters.
In an unofficial meeting of the conservative MPs on Sunday Haddad-Adel lost to Ali Larijani as the speaker of the next parliament.
Conservative MPs form the absolute majority in the new parliament.
Haddad-Adel said, “I used to believe we can maintain our union until the presidential elections” which he said was the incentive pushing him to run for the speaker post.
Hadad-Adel received only 50 votes out 217 votes cast which indicated the conservatives who also held the majority in the previous parliament were not satisfied with his performance.
He said his “independent approach” led to his loss to Larijani.
Haddad-Adel explained, “I was seeking to defend parliament’s rights and interact with the government,” which he said “did not appeal to all.”
His rival Larijani won 160 votes. There were seven blank votes.
Asked if he has any piece of advice for new Majlis speaker on interaction with the government, he said, “Larijani himself knows how to interact with the administration, and you will see it.”
The term of the seventh parliament ended officially on Sunday