A senior conservative politician believes efforts to forge an alliance among principlists for the Feb 26, 2016 parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections are producing results.
Mohammad Nabi Habibi, secretary general of the Islamic Coalition Party, said, "I am confident that we have taken the right path, which is 'One Voice, One List' revolving around the clergy in line with [the guidelines of] the Leader."
On criticisms over his party's convergence with two other major principlist groups, namely the Islamic Revolution Resistance Front and the Society of Devotees of the Islamic Revolution, he stated, "The policies of the Islamic Coalition Party are adopted independently and we can have convergent views with other principlists with whom we share fundamental values."
Plight of Terror Victims
Commenting on the critical situation in the region, Habibi suggested that the government cooperate with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League and other international bodies to help bring an end to the desperate plight of the innocent victims of extremism in Iraq and Syria.
"The Syrian and Iraqi asylum seekers have been forced to leave their homelands as a result of a devastating war waged intentionally by Europeans who are surprisingly not willing to shelter its survivors," he said in a meeting with his party's officials on Monday, IRNA reported.
"[Actions by some regional countries], on the United States' order, have displaced lots of Syrians, some of whom, including a 3-year old boy [whose case caused a worldwide stir], drowned in the Mediterranean Sea fleeing to Europe in the hope of escaping atrocities," Habibi noted, stressing that the current migrant crisis [afflicting Europe] is the direct consequence of adopting belligerent policies in exporting terrorism to the Middle East."
Highlighting violations of refugee rights in some European countries, he stated, "The European people can see how flagrantly their officials commit human rights abuses."
On the parliamentary review of the recent international agreement on Iran's nuclear program, officially titled the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the party leader noted, "Scrutinizing the JCPOA in the Majlis means taking heed of the people's rights."
Stressing that the people ought to be informed about details of the accord by lawmakers, he said, "As per the Constitution, the JCPOA must be looked into by the Majlis, and lawmakers should play a key role in the process."
