Assembly of Experts
Encyclopedia
The Assembly of Experts (also Assembly of Experts of the Leadership) of Iran
, also translated as Council of Experts, is a deliberative body of 86 Mujtahids (Islamic scholars) that is charged with electing and removing the Supreme Leader of Iran
and supervising his activities.
Members of the assembly are elected from a government-screened list of candidates by direct public vote to eight-year terms. Current laws require the assembly to meet for at least two days, twice annually. The current chairman of the Assembly is Mahdavi Kani, who was elected in March 2011.
The Experts are to review and consult among themselves concerning Islamic jurists possessing the qualifications of leadership. Constitutionally these criteria include "Islamic scholarship, justice, piety, right political and social perspicacity, prudence, courage, administrative facilities and adequate capability for leadership." In the event they find one of the jurists better versed in Islamic regulations, the subjects of the Fiqh
, or in political and social issues, or possessing general popularity or special prominence for any of the qualifications of leadership, they shall elect him as Supreme Leader. Otherwise, in the absence of such a candidate, the Experts shall elect and declare one of themselves as Supreme Leader.
According to Chibli Mallat
, a Lebanese lawyer and intellectual, the basis of assembly's election and work is derived from the Shia tradition whereby the shia rank and file, the muqallid, "chose their marja
and then the pre-eminent marja emerged by consent among senior clerics."
The assembly gathers every six months. Activities of the assembly include compiling a list of those eligible to become leader in the event of the current leader's death, resignation, or dismissal. This is done by the 107/109 commission. Monitoring the current leader to make sure he continues to meet all the criteria listed in the constitution is done by the 111 commission. Members of assembly report to this commission about the issues concerning the current leader, and the commission can then order an emergency meeting of the assembly. If the commission denies this, the members can ask the general assembly for a vote, and if most of the members of assembly decide, there will be an emergency meeting of the assembly for discussing the current leader. The meetings, meeting notes, and reports of the assembly are confidential and not made available to anyone outside the assembly, except for the sitting Supreme Leader.
The constitution does not specify requirements for members of the assembly, leaving the assembly itself to put limits on who may be a candidate. The assembly has passed laws to require all its members be experts in Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), authorizing the Guardian Council
to vet candidates for ijtihad
proficiency using written and oral examinations. This law is being challenged by the reformists, and their 2006 election
campaign included changing this law to allow non-clerics into the assembly, and reforming the law that allows Guardian Council
to vet candidates.
Currently, the average age of its members is over 60 years, which results in many mid-term elections.
Montazeri as the successor to Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah Khomeini in 1985. But on Sunday, March 26, 1989 Khomeini dismissed him in a letter: "... you
are no longer eligible to succeed me as the legitimate leader of the state." Following the death of Ruhollah Khomeini on June 3, 1989, the Assembly of Experts chose Ali Khamenei
to be his successor as Supreme Leader in what proved to be a smooth transition. Initially, a council of three members, "Ali Meshkini
, Mousavi Ardabili and Ali Khamenei
", were proposed for Leadership. After rejection of a Leadership Council by the assembly, and lack of votes for Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Golpaygani
, Khamenei became the Supreme Leader by two third of the votes.
The members of Assembly of Experts are elected every 8 years. It has therefore formed 4 terms, beginning in 1983, 1991 and 1999. The term formed in 2007, will exceptionally last ten years due to the "election aggregation" plan of Iran, put into place to allow the government to run one simultaneous election for both the Assembly of Experts and Parliament, thereby economizing election costs.
Ali Meshkini
.
Sayed Mohammad Fagheh is one of the member of second assembly of experts from Neyriz Fars.
Ali Meshkini
, deputied by Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, and Ayatollah Ebrahim Amini
. The scribes were Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi
and Ahmad Khatami
. The members according to each province were:
was re-elected as chairman. The changes in the presiding board from the 3rd assembly was the replacement of Mohammad Yazdi
with Ebrahim Amini
, who has retired, as the 2nd deputy chairman; and election of Hassan Rohani as provisionist.
Of particular note is the victory of pragmatist Ayatollah Rafsanjani list, over hard-line candidates associated with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for positions in the 86-member Assembly of Experts. Rafsanjani lost out to Ahmadinejad in the 2005 election runoff for President. Ayatollah Rafsanjani won nearly twice as many votes as hard-liner Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi. Final results for the Assembly of Experts showed that more than 65 candidates close to Mr. Rafsanjani were elected. At 60 percent, voter turnout was much higher than in previous years.
The top 16 candidates in Tehran were announced as:
In July 2007 Meshkini died. Ayatollah Rafsanjani was elected his successor as chairman, beating Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati
, an ally of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, by 41 to 30 votes. After the disputed results of the June 2009 Iranian presidential election
were certified by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
, Chairman Rafsanjani was reported to have called a meeting of the Assembly of Experts, as they have the constitutional power to hire and fire the Supreme Leader.
, 7th parliament's first Vice Speaker said that the Experts Assembly should present a report on its performance so that the people realize the institution’s importance. As all of their meetings and notes are strictly confidential, the Assembly has never been known to challenge any of the Supreme Leader's decisions.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, also translated as Council of Experts, is a deliberative body of 86 Mujtahids (Islamic scholars) that is charged with electing and removing the Supreme Leader of Iran
Supreme Leader of Iran
The Supreme Leader of Iran is the highest ranking political and religious authority in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The post was established by the constitution in accordance with the concept of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists...
and supervising his activities.
Members of the assembly are elected from a government-screened list of candidates by direct public vote to eight-year terms. Current laws require the assembly to meet for at least two days, twice annually. The current chairman of the Assembly is Mahdavi Kani, who was elected in March 2011.
Functions
According to the Iranian Constitution, the assembly is in charge of supervising, dismissing and electing the Supreme Leader. In the event of his death, resignation or dismissal, the Experts shall take steps within the shortest possible time to appoint a new Leader. "Whenever the Leader becomes incapable of fulfilling his constitutional duties, or loses one of the qualifications mentioned in the Constitution, or it becomes known that he did not possess some of the qualifications initially, he will be dismissed." The assembly has never dismissed a sitting Supreme Leader, and as all of their meetings and notes are strictly confidential, the assembly has never been known to challenge or otherwise publicly oversee any of the Supreme Leader's decisions.The Experts are to review and consult among themselves concerning Islamic jurists possessing the qualifications of leadership. Constitutionally these criteria include "Islamic scholarship, justice, piety, right political and social perspicacity, prudence, courage, administrative facilities and adequate capability for leadership." In the event they find one of the jurists better versed in Islamic regulations, the subjects of the Fiqh
Fiqh
Fiqh is Islamic jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the code of conduct expounded in the Quran, often supplemented by tradition and implemented by the rulings and interpretations of Islamic jurists....
, or in political and social issues, or possessing general popularity or special prominence for any of the qualifications of leadership, they shall elect him as Supreme Leader. Otherwise, in the absence of such a candidate, the Experts shall elect and declare one of themselves as Supreme Leader.
According to Chibli Mallat
Chibli Mallat
Chibli Mallat is a human rights lawyer and a former candidate for presidency in Lebanon.-Career:In his law practice, he is best known for bringing the case of Victims of Sabra and Shatila v...
, a Lebanese lawyer and intellectual, the basis of assembly's election and work is derived from the Shia tradition whereby the shia rank and file, the muqallid, "chose their marja
Marja
Marja , also known as a marja-i taqlid or marja dini , literally means "Source to Imitate/Follow" or "Religious Reference"...
and then the pre-eminent marja emerged by consent among senior clerics."
The assembly gathers every six months. Activities of the assembly include compiling a list of those eligible to become leader in the event of the current leader's death, resignation, or dismissal. This is done by the 107/109 commission. Monitoring the current leader to make sure he continues to meet all the criteria listed in the constitution is done by the 111 commission. Members of assembly report to this commission about the issues concerning the current leader, and the commission can then order an emergency meeting of the assembly. If the commission denies this, the members can ask the general assembly for a vote, and if most of the members of assembly decide, there will be an emergency meeting of the assembly for discussing the current leader. The meetings, meeting notes, and reports of the assembly are confidential and not made available to anyone outside the assembly, except for the sitting Supreme Leader.
The constitution does not specify requirements for members of the assembly, leaving the assembly itself to put limits on who may be a candidate. The assembly has passed laws to require all its members be experts in Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), authorizing the Guardian Council
Guardian Council
The Guardian Council of the Constitution , also known as the Guardian Council or Council of Guardians, is an appointed and constitutionally-mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence in the Islamic Republic of Iran....
to vet candidates for ijtihad
Ijtihad
Ijtihad is the making of a decision in Islamic law by personal effort , independently of any school of jurisprudence . as opposed to taqlid, copying or obeying without question....
proficiency using written and oral examinations. This law is being challenged by the reformists, and their 2006 election
Iranian Assembly of Experts election, 2006
The Iranian Assembly of Experts election of 2006 was held on December 15, 2006. People elected representatives for the Assembly of Experts, the mujtahid that elect the Supreme Leader....
campaign included changing this law to allow non-clerics into the assembly, and reforming the law that allows Guardian Council
Guardian Council
The Guardian Council of the Constitution , also known as the Guardian Council or Council of Guardians, is an appointed and constitutionally-mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence in the Islamic Republic of Iran....
to vet candidates.
Currently, the average age of its members is over 60 years, which results in many mid-term elections.
History
The Assembly of Experts of the Leadership was first elected and convened in 1983. The first Assembly of Experts chose AyatollahAyatollah
Ayatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Montazeri as the successor to Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah Khomeini in 1985. But on Sunday, March 26, 1989 Khomeini dismissed him in a letter: "... you
are no longer eligible to succeed me as the legitimate leader of the state." Following the death of Ruhollah Khomeini on June 3, 1989, the Assembly of Experts chose Ali Khamenei
Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
to be his successor as Supreme Leader in what proved to be a smooth transition. Initially, a council of three members, "Ali Meshkini
Ali Meshkini
Ayatollah Ali Akbar Feyz Meshkini was an Iranian hardline cleric and politician.-Life:Meshkini was an Iranian Azerbaijani born in a village near Meshkinshahr and the Sabalan mountain. He was born as Āli, but preferred the pronounciaton, Ali during his career. He succeeded Ayatollah Montazeri as...
, Mousavi Ardabili and Ali Khamenei
Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
", were proposed for Leadership. After rejection of a Leadership Council by the assembly, and lack of votes for Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Golpaygani
Mohammad Reza Golpaygani
Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Golpaygani was a Twelver Shia Muslim cleric and marja. he was born in Gogad village, near the city of Golpaygan, Iran. He was taught preliminary studies by his father, Mohammad Bagher. At the age of 9, his father died, and he moved to Golpaygan to continue his...
, Khamenei became the Supreme Leader by two third of the votes.
The members of Assembly of Experts are elected every 8 years. It has therefore formed 4 terms, beginning in 1983, 1991 and 1999. The term formed in 2007, will exceptionally last ten years due to the "election aggregation" plan of Iran, put into place to allow the government to run one simultaneous election for both the Assembly of Experts and Parliament, thereby economizing election costs.
Second Assembly (1991–1999)
The Second Assembly was chaired by AyatollahAyatollah
Ayatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Ali Meshkini
Ali Meshkini
Ayatollah Ali Akbar Feyz Meshkini was an Iranian hardline cleric and politician.-Life:Meshkini was an Iranian Azerbaijani born in a village near Meshkinshahr and the Sabalan mountain. He was born as Āli, but preferred the pronounciaton, Ali during his career. He succeeded Ayatollah Montazeri as...
.
Sayed Mohammad Fagheh is one of the member of second assembly of experts from Neyriz Fars.
Third Assembly (1999–2007)
The 3rd assembly was chaired by AyatollahAyatollah
Ayatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Ali Meshkini
Ali Meshkini
Ayatollah Ali Akbar Feyz Meshkini was an Iranian hardline cleric and politician.-Life:Meshkini was an Iranian Azerbaijani born in a village near Meshkinshahr and the Sabalan mountain. He was born as Āli, but preferred the pronounciaton, Ali during his career. He succeeded Ayatollah Montazeri as...
, deputied by Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, and Ayatollah Ebrahim Amini
Ebrahim Amini
Ayatollah Haj Shaykh Ebrahim Amini is an Iranian politician in the Assembly of Experts. He is also a member of the Expediency Discernment Council.-External links:*...
. The scribes were Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi
Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi
Ayatollah Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi is an Iranian politician and cleric, previously the Minister of Intelligence of Islamic Republic of Iran...
and Ahmad Khatami
Ahmad Khatami
Ayatollah Seyyed Ahmad Khatami is a senior Iranian Ayatollah, as well as a senior member of the Assembly of Experts. In December of 2005, Ali Khamenei appointed him as Tehran’s substitute Friday prayer leader.He was born in the town of Nīr, Northern Iran...
. The members according to each province were:
- TehranTehran ProvinceTehran Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It covers on area of 18,909 square kilometers and is located to the north of the central plateau of Iran....
:
- Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
- Meshkini, Ali AkbarAli MeshkiniAyatollah Ali Akbar Feyz Meshkini was an Iranian hardline cleric and politician.-Life:Meshkini was an Iranian Azerbaijani born in a village near Meshkinshahr and the Sabalan mountain. He was born as Āli, but preferred the pronounciaton, Ali during his career. He succeeded Ayatollah Montazeri as...
- Mohammad Mohammadi Rey-Shahri
- Mohammad Imami Kashani
- Mohammad YazdiMohammad YazdiAyatollah Mohammad Yazdii is an Iranian cleric who served as the head of Judiciary System of Iran between 1989 and 1999, following Ayatollah Abdolkarim Mousavi Ardebili and succeeded by Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi....
- Ahmad JannatiAhmad JannatiAyatollah Ahmad Jannati Massah is a hardline Iranian politician, fundamentalist Shi'i cleric and a founding member of Haghani school with close ties with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Mesbah-Yazdi...
- Mohammad Reza TavassoliMohammad Reza TavassoliAyatollah Mohammad Reza Tavassoli was an influential Iranian theologian, reformist politician, and a close associate of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini....
- Ghorban Alli Dorri Najaf-Abadi
- Mohammad Taghi Mesbah YazdiMohammad Taghi Mesbah YazdiAyatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi is a hardline Iranian Twelver Shi'i cleric and politician who is widely seen as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's spiritual advisor. He is also a member of Iran's Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for choosing the Supreme Leader, where he heads...
- Majid Ansari
- Asadi Khansari, Agha Baqer
- Mohsen Kharrazi
- Mohammad Mohammadi GilaniMohammad Mohammadi GilaniAyatollah Mohammad Mohammadi Gilani is born in 1928.And he is a member of the Assembly of Experts of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He was the chief justice of the supreme court of Iran, a position different from the head of the judiciary...
- Qomi, Mohsen
- Reza OstadiReza OstadiAyatollah Reza Ostadi Moghadam is a member of the Expediency Discernment Council and the Assembly of Experts of the Islamic Republic of Iran...
- Gholam Reza Rezvani
- East Azarbaijan:
- Mojtahed Shabestari, Mohsen
- Seyed Reyhani, Seyed Abolfazl
- Hashemzadeh Harisi, Hashem
- Ahmadi, Ali
- Oroumian, Ali
- West Azarbaijan:
- Ghaffari Gharebagh, Mir-Akbar
- Pour-Mir Ghaffari, Seyed Mohsen
- Ghoreishi, Mir-Ali Akbar
- Isfahan:
- Yasrebi, seyed Mehdi
- Mazaheri Tehrani, Mirza HosseinHossein MazaheriGrand Ayatollah Hossein Mazaheri is an Iranian Shia Marja. At the age of 14, he moved to Isfahan Seminary to start his religious studies. Five years later, he moved to Qom to complete his studies under Ayatollah Boroujerdi and Ayatollah Khomeini...
- Hashemi, Seyed Esmail
- Moqtadaie, MortezaMorteza MoghtadaiAyatollah Morteza Moghtadai is an Iranian Shia scholar, and deputy chairman of Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom. He was re-elected to the fourth Assembly of Experts...
- Mahdavi, Abolhasan
- ArdabilArdabil ProvinceArdabil Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the north west of the country, bordering the Republic of Azerbaijan and the provinces of East Azerbaijan, Zanjan, and Gilan. Its centre is the city of Ardabil...
:
- Khalilzadeh, Bouck Agha ( died & Replaced By Seyyed Hatami, Mir EbrahimMir Ebrahim Seyyed HatamiMir Ebrahim Seyyed Hatami, born in Ardabil, is one of the high rank clerics or of Ardabil province, and a member of the Assembly of Experts.He was a member of 3rd and 4th Assembly of Experts of Iran.-References:...
) - Nourani Taqi Deizaj, Mostafa
- IlamIlam, IranIlam is a city in and the capital of Ilam Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 155,289, in 34,549 families.The Kabir Kuh mountain range lies east of the city. From the west it borders Iraq. The city is populated by Kurds and speak Kurdish.-Climate:Ilam is situated in the cold...
:
- Mohammadi, Rahim
- BushehrBushehrBushehr Bushehr lies in a vast plain running along the coastal region on the Persian Gulf coast of southwestern Iran. It is the chief seaport of the country and the administrative centre of its province. Its location is about south of Tehran. The local climate is hot and humid.The city...
:
- Abdonnabi Namazi
- Chahar-Mahaal and Bakhtiari Province:
- Haj Amini Najaf Abadi, Ebrahim
- Khorasan:
- Ebadi, Seyed Mehdi
- Khazali, Abolghasem
- Hashemi Shahrodi, Seyed MahmodMahmoud Hashemi ShahroudiGrand Ayatollah Seyyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi is a moderate Iraqi-Iranian politician and Twelver Shi'a Marja. Hashemi Shahroudi was the leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, which has caused objections to his serving as the head of Iran's Judiciary System upon his...
- Masomi, Ali Asqar
- Ferdosi Pour, Esmail
- Mehman Navaz, Habiboallah
- Abbas Vaeze Tabasi
- Alami, Hasan
- Khouzestan:
- Shafei, Seyed Ali
- Mousavi, Seyed Mohammad Ali
- Abbasi Fard, Mohammad Reza
- Ali FallahianAli FallahianHojatoleslam Ali Fallahian, is an Iranian politician and cleric. He has served as a member of the 3rd Assembly of Experts of the IRI and as the Minister of Intelligence of Islamic Republic of Iran in cabinet of President Hashemi Rafsanjani...
- Abbas Kabi Nasab
- Mohammadi Araghi, MohsenMohsen ArakiAyatollah Sheikh Mohsen Araki is an Iranian scholar, cleric, university lecturer, and politician. He is a former member of the Assembly of Experts in Iran, and a prominent Iranian cleric and one of the students of the Islamic thinker Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr.-Life:He was born in...
- ZanjanZanjan ProvinceZanjan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Located in the North West of Iran, its capital is Zanjan city. Zanjan province with an area of 36,400 km² has a mostly rural, population of 964,601 . The province lies 330 km northwest of Tehran, connected to it via a freeway.Zanjan...
:
- Mousavi, Seyed Esmail
- SemnanSemnan ProvinceSemnan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the north of the country, and its center is Semnan. The province of Semnan covers an area of 96,816 square kilometers and stretches along the Alborz mountain range and borders to Dasht-e Kavir desert in its southern parts.Counties of...
:
- Alami, Mohammad Ali
- Sistan va Balouchestan:
- Hosseyni, Seyed Mojtaba
- Madani, Mohammad Eshaq
- Fars:
- Dastqeib, Seyed Ali Asqar
- Dastqeib, Seyed Ali Mohammad
- Beheshti, Ahmad
- Hosseyni, Seyed Mohammad Hossein
- Imani, Asadollah
- QomQom ProvinceQombol Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran with 11,237 km², covering 0.89% of the total area in Iran. It is in the north of the country, and its provincial capital is the city of Qom. It was formed from part of Tehran Province in 1995. In 2005, this province had a population of...
:
- Seyed Rohani, Agha Mehdi
- QazvinQazvinQazvin is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 349,821, in 96,420 families....
:
- Mousavi Pour, Seyed Hasan
- Sheikh Mohammadi, Ali
- KurdistanKurdistan Province (Iran)Kurdistan Province or Kordestan Province or Kurdestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, not to be confused with the greater geographical area of Iranian Kurdistan. The province of Kurdistan is 28,817 km² in area which encompasses just one-fourth of the Kurdish inhabited areas of Iran or...
:
- Sheikholleslami, Mohammad
- Abdolqader ZahediAbdolqader ZahediAbdolqader Zahedi was a high-ranking Sunni religious figure and Iranian Kurdish politician. He was a member of Iran's Assembly of Experts.-References:...
- KermanshahKermanshahKermanshah is a city in and the capital of Kermanshah Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 784,602, in 198,117 families.The overwhelming majority of Kermanshahi people are Shi'a Muslims...
:
- Ahmadi, Zekrollah
- Zarandi, Hossein
- KermanKerman- Geological characteristics :For the Iranian paleontologists, Kerman has always been considered a fossil paradise. Finding new dinosaur footprints in 2005 has now revealed new hopes for paleontologists to better understand the history of this area.- Economy :...
:
- Seyed Ahmad Khatami
- Hashemian, Mohammad
- Mohammad Ali Movahedi
- Kohgiluyeh and Buyer AhmadKohgiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad ProvinceKohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the south-west of the country, and its capital is Yasuj. The province covers an area of 15,563 square kilometers, and in 2006 had a population of 634,000. The people mainly speak in Lurish language.- Geography :The...
:
- Malek Hosseyni, Seyed Keramatollah
- GolestanGolestan ProvinceGolestan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran, located in the north-east of the country, south of the Caspian Sea. Its capital is Gorgan....
:
- Noor Mofidi, Seyed Kazem
- Taheri, Seyed Habibollah
- Gilan:
- Aminian, Mokhtar
- Mahfoozi, Abbas
- Ghorbani, Zeinolabedin
- Taskhiri, Mohammad Ali
- Lorestan:
- Taheri Khorram Abadi, Seyed Hasan
- Shahrokhi, Seyed Mohammad Taqi
- MarkaziMarkaziMarkazi may refer to:*Markazi Province, Iran*Markazi Masjid, Dewsbury, England*Arash Markazi, Iranian-American sports journalist...
:
- Mohseni Garakani, Ahmad
- Mir-Mohammadi, Seyed Abolfazl
- Mazandaran:
- Jabbari, Seyed Saber
- Sadeq Ardeshir Larijani
- Karimi Kalabi, Seyed Jafar
- Rohani Rad, Hadi
- Hormozgan:
- Anvari, Mirza Mohammad
- Hamedan:
- Saberi Hamedani, Ahmad
- Dabestani, Seyed Abolhasan
- YazdYazd ProvinceYazd Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the centre of the country, and its administrative center is the city of Yazd.The province has an area of 131,575 km², and according to the most recent divisions of the country, is divided into eleven counties: Maybod, Mehreez, Taft,...
:
- Khatam Yazdi, Abbas Agha
Fourth Assembly (2007–2015)
The election for the fourth assembly took place on 15 December 2006 and was convened on 19 February 2007. Akbar Hashemi RafsanjaniAkbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is an influential Iranian politician and writer, who was the fourth President of Iran. He was a member of the Assembly of Experts until his resignation in 2011...
was re-elected as chairman. The changes in the presiding board from the 3rd assembly was the replacement of Mohammad Yazdi
Mohammad Yazdi
Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdii is an Iranian cleric who served as the head of Judiciary System of Iran between 1989 and 1999, following Ayatollah Abdolkarim Mousavi Ardebili and succeeded by Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi....
with Ebrahim Amini
Ebrahim Amini
Ayatollah Haj Shaykh Ebrahim Amini is an Iranian politician in the Assembly of Experts. He is also a member of the Expediency Discernment Council.-External links:*...
, who has retired, as the 2nd deputy chairman; and election of Hassan Rohani as provisionist.
Of particular note is the victory of pragmatist Ayatollah Rafsanjani list, over hard-line candidates associated with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for positions in the 86-member Assembly of Experts. Rafsanjani lost out to Ahmadinejad in the 2005 election runoff for President. Ayatollah Rafsanjani won nearly twice as many votes as hard-liner Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi. Final results for the Assembly of Experts showed that more than 65 candidates close to Mr. Rafsanjani were elected. At 60 percent, voter turnout was much higher than in previous years.
The top 16 candidates in Tehran were announced as:
In July 2007 Meshkini died. Ayatollah Rafsanjani was elected his successor as chairman, beating Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati
Ahmad Jannati
Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati Massah is a hardline Iranian politician, fundamentalist Shi'i cleric and a founding member of Haghani school with close ties with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Mesbah-Yazdi...
, an ally of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, by 41 to 30 votes. After the disputed results of the June 2009 Iranian presidential election
Iranian presidential election, 2009
Iran's tenth presidential election was held on 12 June 2009, with incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running against three challengers. The next morning the Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran's official news agency, announced that with two-thirds of the votes counted, Ahmadinejad had won the election...
were certified by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
, Chairman Rafsanjani was reported to have called a meeting of the Assembly of Experts, as they have the constitutional power to hire and fire the Supreme Leader.
Criticism
Iran's assembly of experts has been subject to many criticisms with respect to its structure and function. The assembly for instance has never invited the leader to its meetings. Iran's leader has never been asked to offer a report of his performance over the last few decades. Instead the members of the assembly met with the leader on several occasions to have his advice. The assembly has very few meetings annually and the members mainly discuss subjects not related to their duties, as commenting on the president and government's policies and Iran's foreign policy. Even some conservatives admitted the weakness of the Assembly's performance. In 2006, Mohammad Reza BahonarMohammad Reza Bahonar
Mohammad-Reza Bahonar was the conservative First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Iran. He is a representative from Kerman.In previous parliaments, he has been elected as a representative from Kerman and Tehran...
, 7th parliament's first Vice Speaker said that the Experts Assembly should present a report on its performance so that the people realize the institution’s importance. As all of their meetings and notes are strictly confidential, the Assembly has never been known to challenge any of the Supreme Leader's decisions.
External links
- دبیرخانه مجلس خبرگان رهبری
- Assembly of Experts - Official Website
- Assembly of Experts in the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran
- Understanding Iran's Assembly of Experts from Durham UniversityDurham UniversityThe University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
- Results of Assembly of Experts elections in 6 provinces
- Results of Assembly of Experts elections in four provinces
- Results of Assembly of Experts elections in some provinces
- Iran Electoral Archive - Assembly of Experts