Mohammadreza Aref, the First Vice President of Masoud Pezeshkian, criticized a bill titled “countering foreign influence in the country” and said: “The Speaker of Parliament has promised that this bill will be taken off the agenda of Parliament.”

According to ISNA news agency, Aref added: “Even if that does not happen, the issue must be resolved through consultations with other institutions, including the Expediency Discernment Council.”

He said: “If this bill is approved with the same approach and manner, it will deal a more lethal blow to the country’s science and technology sector than the law from 1402.”