Larijani: I confirm that 'Followers of the Wilayat' are seeking to form an organization

After several days of speculation in Iranian media regarding the formation of a new conservative organization called 'Followers of the Wilayat' and the membership of Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Parliament, Mr. Larijani has confirmed that they are seeking to form an organization, but he states that his recent meetings with several conservative figures do not imply their membership in this organization. On Tuesday, December 1, during a conversation with journalists on the occasion of Parliament Day, Mr. Larijani, who is a member of the Followers of the Wilayat faction in the Parliament, confirmed his quadrilateral meeting with Ali Akbar Velayati, Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri, two conservative figures, and Morteza Moghaddam, the deputy of the Combatant Clergy Association. He said that they had a meeting to discuss how they could work in the election process (Parliament) to ensure that 'efficient individuals with a national perspective' are elected as representatives, and that meeting was for brainstorming in this regard. The Speaker of the Parliament then responded to the question of whether he is a member of the organization that is said to have recently formed under the name 'Followers of the Wilayat' and whether he has consulted with some 'grand figures of the system' to join this party, saying, 'I confirm that the Followers are seeking to create an organization. Because this organization can also be a capacity for political work in the country, but our discussions with some figures do not mean their membership in this organization; rather, we are all seeking a common thought that I mentioned.' Fars News Agency reported on Tuesday, citing Iraj Abdi, a representative from Khorramabad in the Parliament and a member of the Followers faction, that the establishment of the Followers of the Wilayat organization (party) has been announced and mentioned several names as founding members, including Reza Akrami, Hossein Etemadi, Aladdin Boroujerdi, Allahyar Malekshahi, Hamid Reza Katouzian, and Ahmad Reza Dastgheib. However, Kazem Jalali, the head of the conservative Followers faction in the Parliament, denied this news in an interview with the 'House of the Nation' news agency, stating that these remarks were merely speculations by Iraj Abdi. As the elections for the Islamic Council and the Assembly of Experts approach on March 1, reformist and conservative factions are each trying to prepare for the elections by creating coherence and a kind of unity within their factions. Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Parliament, who is considered a 'moderate' conservative, also responded on Tuesday to a question from Tasnim News Agency regarding 'the efforts of reformists to appropriate him and Hojjatoleslam Nategh Nouri,' simply stating, 'We are not assets that can be appropriated.' He continued in response to the reporter's question, 'Reformists think they can attribute you and Mr. Nategh to themselves,' saying, 'They should not think this way.' Mr. Larijani, in another part of his remarks on Tuesday, said, 'Conservatives and other political groups can have their opinions, but they should know that the country is at a crossroads that must be successfully passed. To successfully navigate this crossroads, we need rooted, ideological, and popular organizations. I advocate for the establishment of organizations and believe that forming a Republican Party is correct. We must support the movement that leads to the formation of an efficient Parliament. I have intellectually created this issue to ensure that efficient individuals are elected.'