Militant Clerics League
Encyclopedia
The Association of Combatant Clerics is a reformist Iran
ian political party
. It was established on March 16, 1988. It is not to be confused with the Combatant Clergy Association (Persian: جامعه روحانیت مبارز) which is a conservative political party.
After the resignation of Mehdi Karroubi
from the post of secretary general, the party had no secretary general until late August 2005, when Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha
was elected as the new secretary general. Former President of Iran
Mohammad Khatami
is the Chairman of the association's Central Council.
In August 2010, the party elected Ali Akbar Mohtashamipur as its new secretary general.
(former presecutor general of Iran), Rasoul Montajebnia (former Majlis representative), and Mohammad Ali Abtahi
(former Vice President of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs).
, some members of the party's central council are:
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...
ian political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
. It was established on March 16, 1988. It is not to be confused with the Combatant Clergy Association (Persian: جامعه روحانیت مبارز) which is a conservative political party.
History
The Association of Combatant Clerics was founded in 1987 after abolition of the Islamic Republic Party, the last political party of that time. The association was originally radical, populist, rather than reformist in orientation, and favored a focus "on exporting the revolution and calling for the state's monopoly over the economy," rather than democracy and freedom of expression. As of 2007 it advocated limits on clerical power in Iranian politics and extending individual freedoms — though not to the extent that might "lead to secularism or liberalism."After the resignation of Mehdi Karroubi
Mehdi Karroubi
Mehdi Karroubi is an influential Iranian reformist politician, democracy activist, mojtahed, and chairman of the National Trust Party. He was Chairman of the parliament from 1989 to 1992 and 2000 to 2004, and a presidential candidate in the 2005 and 2009 presidential elections.He is a founding...
from the post of secretary general, the party had no secretary general until late August 2005, when Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha
Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha
Ayatollah Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha is an Iranian cleric and secretary general of the reformist Association of Combatant Clerics. He was a founder of the now banned Salam newspaper and is a member of the Expediency Discernment Council.-Overview:Khoeiniha was prosecutor general of Iran after...
was elected as the new secretary general. Former President of Iran
President of Iran
The President of Iran is the highest popularly elected official in, and the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Iran; although subordinate to the Supreme Leader of Iran, who functions as the country's head of state...
Mohammad Khatami
Mohammad Khatami
Sayyid Mohammad Khātamī is an Iranian scholar, philosopher, Shiite theologian and Reformist politician. He served as the fifth President of Iran from August 2, 1997 to August 3, 2005. He also served as Iran's Minister of Culture in both the 1980s and 1990s...
is the Chairman of the association's Central Council.
In August 2010, the party elected Ali Akbar Mohtashamipur as its new secretary general.
Current leading members
Its current leading members include Mohammad Khatami, Mohammad Mousavi KhoeinihaMohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha
Ayatollah Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha is an Iranian cleric and secretary general of the reformist Association of Combatant Clerics. He was a founder of the now banned Salam newspaper and is a member of the Expediency Discernment Council.-Overview:Khoeiniha was prosecutor general of Iran after...
(former presecutor general of Iran), Rasoul Montajebnia (former Majlis representative), and Mohammad Ali Abtahi
Mohammad Ali Abtahi
Hojjat ol-Eslam Seyyed Mohammad Ali Abtahi is an Iranian theologian, scholar, pro-democracy activist and chairman of the Institute for Interreligious Dialogue. He is a former Vice President of Iran and a close associate of former President Mohammad Khatami...
(former Vice President of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs).
, some members of the party's central council are:
- Ali Akbar Mohtashamipur (Secretary-General)
- Majead AnsariMajead AnsariMajead Ansari , also spelled Majid Ansari is an Iranian politician and cleric....
(Deputy Secretary-General) - Mohammad KhatamiMohammad KhatamiSayyid Mohammad Khātamī is an Iranian scholar, philosopher, Shiite theologian and Reformist politician. He served as the fifth President of Iran from August 2, 1997 to August 3, 2005. He also served as Iran's Minister of Culture in both the 1980s and 1990s...
- Mohammad HashemiMohammad HashemiMohammad Hashemi is an Iranian official. He was one of "the core group of leaders" of the Iran hostage takers, the first deputy of the Ministry of Intelligence and Security for some years. From 2003 to 2004, when the venture went bankrupt, he was a developer of a proposed vacation resort on the...
- Mohammad Mousavi KhoeinihaMohammad Mousavi KhoeinihaAyatollah Mohammad Mousavi Khoeiniha is an Iranian cleric and secretary general of the reformist Association of Combatant Clerics. He was a founder of the now banned Salam newspaper and is a member of the Expediency Discernment Council.-Overview:Khoeiniha was prosecutor general of Iran after...
- Hadi KhameneiHadi KhameneiHojatoleslam Hadi Khamenei is an influential Iranian reformist politician, mojtahed and linguist. He is a key member of the reformist Association of Combatant Clerics, and a former deputy of the Majlis of Iran representing a district in Tehran....
- Mohammad Ali AbtahiMohammad Ali AbtahiHojjat ol-Eslam Seyyed Mohammad Ali Abtahi is an Iranian theologian, scholar, pro-democracy activist and chairman of the Institute for Interreligious Dialogue. He is a former Vice President of Iran and a close associate of former President Mohammad Khatami...
- Mohammad Ali Ansari
- Ashtiani
- Bojnourdi
- Dorchei
- Kian Ersi
- Emam Jamarani
- Khosravi
- Moghaddam
- Rasoul Montajebnia
- Mousavi-Khoini
- Abdolvahed Mousavi-Lari
- Nezamzadeh
- Nourmofidi
- Rahmani
- Razavi
- Sadoughi
- Seraj
- Shakouri
- Tavassoli
- Velaee
- Zakeri
Source and external links
- Mr Khatami, the Chairman of the Central Council of Militant Clerics Society, from Mohammad Ali Abtahi's weblog (in Persian)
- Mousavi Khoiniha became the secretary general of the Militant Clerics Society, from BBC Persian
- First meeting notes of Militant Clerics Society, from Mohammad Ali AbtahiMohammad Ali AbtahiHojjat ol-Eslam Seyyed Mohammad Ali Abtahi is an Iranian theologian, scholar, pro-democracy activist and chairman of the Institute for Interreligious Dialogue. He is a former Vice President of Iran and a close associate of former President Mohammad Khatami...
's Persian weblog