He was chosen as the president of the bloc at a meeting of conservative MPs who cemented their hold on parliament during legislative elections in March and April, it said.

Conservatives won 69 percent of the 290 seats in parliament, while reformists took only 16 percent.

In recent days the local media has reported that Larijani would like to become speaker of the new parliament, which is due to hold its first session on May 27.

Current speaker Gholam Ali Hadad Adel has also expressed interest in staying on in the job.

Larijani last year stepped down as Iran's top nuclear negotiator, admitting that policy differences between himself and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were so great they could no longer work together.

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