0 0 5 ▁and ▁founded ▁his ▁own ▁party , ▁E tem ad - e - M elli . ▁ ▁His ▁wife , ▁F at eme h , ▁served ▁as ▁his ▁social ▁affairs ▁advis ors ▁when ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Maj lis ▁of ▁Iran ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁Among ▁polit icians ▁in ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁Republic , ▁he ▁has ▁been ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁leading ▁supp or ters ▁of ▁civil ▁rights ▁for ▁citizens . ▁K arr ou bi ▁was ▁long ▁an ▁advoc ate ▁of ▁women ' s ▁rights ▁and ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁women ▁in ▁all ▁social ▁activities . ▁He ▁has ▁been ▁support ive ▁of ▁women ▁taking ▁leadership ▁roles ▁within ▁their ▁political ▁groups . ▁ ▁Me h di ▁K arr ou bi , ▁an ▁eth nic ▁L ur , ▁supports ▁an ▁approach ▁where ▁all ▁people ▁regardless ▁of ▁their ▁gender , ▁religion , ▁or ▁eth nic ity ▁can ▁feel ▁that ▁they ▁are ▁part ▁of ▁Iran ian ▁government . ▁He ▁was ▁out sp oken ▁in ▁supporting ▁the ▁rights ▁of ▁religious ▁and ▁eth nic ▁minor ities . ▁He ▁visited ▁churches , ▁syn agog ues ▁and ▁Z oro ast rian ▁tem ples ▁during ▁his ▁time ▁as ▁speaker ▁of ▁Parliament . ▁ ▁K arr ou bi ▁is ▁a ▁critic ▁of ▁the ▁Guardian ▁Council ▁and ▁on ▁numerous ▁occasions ▁wrote ▁letters ▁to ▁the ▁council ▁express ing ▁his ▁concerns . ▁He ▁critic ized ▁the ▁nature ▁of ▁the ▁Guardian ▁Council ' s ▁super vision ▁over ▁the ▁elections , ▁saying ▁in ▁ 2