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70-577: The party took 189 of the 290 seats (65%) in the Sixth Majlis . In the aftermath of the Green Movement protests , its license was revoked and the party was subsequently barred from contesting elections. Founded in late 1998, the main motto of the IIPF is "Iran for all Iranians" ( Persian : ایران برای همه ایرانیان ). While still backing Islam , the state religion of Iran, the party is among

140-596: A "veteran kingmaker". He supported a capitalist free market position domestically, favoring privatization of state-owned industries and a moderate position internationally, seeking to avoid conflict with the United States and the West. He was also the founder of, and one of the Board of Trustees of, Azad University . In 2003, Forbes estimated his personal wealth to be in excess of US$ 1 billion . Rafsanjani

210-494: A deal with the United States over Iran's nuclear program and his free-market economic policies contrasted with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his allies, who advocate maintaining a hard line against Western intervention in the Middle East while pursuing a policy of economic redistribution to Iran's poor. By espousing World Bank inspired structural adjustment policies, Rafsanjani desired a modern industrial-based economy integrated into

280-503: A desire to replicate the same prosperity in his home country. Upon his return to Iran, Rafsanjani was arrested by SAVAK and remained in prison until the victory of the Iranian revolution. After the victory of Iranian Revolution , Rafsanjani became one of the members of Council of Islamic Revolution . He was one of the powerful members of the council from its establishment. He was also deputy interior minister at that time and later became

350-475: A heart attack, in a hospital in Tehran at the age of 82. Although government officials attributed his death to cardiac arrest, his sudden death prompted speculation that he had been assassinated. His family strongly asserted that he had been murdered. Further investigation revealed that his body was highly radioactive. Rafsanjani has been described as a pragmatic Islamic conservative . The Economist called him

420-543: A master's degree or equal Level 3 Islamic seminary, and be Iranian born. Currently, there are 290 members of Parliament, elected for a four-year term. There are five seats reserved for religious minorities (1.7% of the total members), with two for the Armenians and one each for the Assyrians , Jews and Zoroastrians . About 8% of the parliament are women, while the global average is 13%. The parliament can force

490-888: A period in which Rafsanjani is described by western media sources as having been the most powerful figure in Iran, people ordered executed by the judicial system of Iran included political dissidents, drug offenders, Communists, Kurds, followers of the Baháʼí Faith , and even Islamic clerics. Regarding the Iranian People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran , Rafsanjani said ( Ettela'at , 31 October 1981): God's law prescribes four punishments for them (the Mojahedin). 1-Kill them. 2-Hang them, 3-Cut off their hands and feet 4-Banish them. If we had killed two hundred of them right after

560-532: Is dissolved and not allowed to have any activities. The party announced it had received no notification of any such court verdict and thus could not be enforced, calling for a chance to appeal. In November 2011, the interior ministry declared that the party is unable to run for parliament seats in the 2012 elections because its license is revoked. Islamic Consultative Assembly The Islamic Consultative Assembly ( Persian : مجلس شورای اسلامی , romanized :  Majles-e Shoray-e Eslami ), also called

630-574: Is located. Two months after his death, a highway in Northern Tehran was renamed in his honour. Many streets in other cities also named Rafsanjani. The central building of Azad University also named as Building and a statue of him was installed outside of the building. Kerman International Airport was also renamed to Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani Airport . In 2018 Hassan Rouhani ordered the Iranian supreme national security council to reopen an investigation into Rafsanjani's death. Rafsanjani

700-905: Is the former director of IRIB . From childhood onward Rafsanjani did not see himself as a peasant, according to family members. He left at the age of 14 to study theology in Qom . There he became acquainted with the ideas of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini , the most senior dissident cleric who later became the founder of the Islamic Republic , on the political rule of the clergy. He studied theology. His other teachers were Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi , Mohammad-Reza Golpaygani , Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari , Abdul-Karim Ha'eri Yazdi , Shahab al-Din Mar'ashi Najafi , Nematollah Salehi Najafabadi , Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i , and Hussein-Ali Montazeri . When he

770-732: The Guardian Council . Within a maximum of ten days from its receipt, the Guardian Council must review the legislation to ensure its compatibility with Islamic criteria and the Constitution. If any incompatibility is identified, the legislation is returned to the Assembly for further review. Otherwise, the legislation is deemed enforceable. People need to sign up online and upload their university degree document. Candidates need to be 30 at least and 75 years maximum, have

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840-668: The Iranian Parliament , the Iranian Majles (Arabicised spelling Majlis ) or ICA , is the national legislative body of Iran . The parliament currently consists of 290 representatives, an increase from the previous 272 seats since the 18 February 2000 election . Following the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the Senate of Iran was abolished and effectively succeeded by the Guardian Council , maintaining

910-565: The President , leaving Parliament. He had a determining role in the dismissal of Abulhassan Banisadr as commander-in-chief of Iranian military and then his impeachment in the parliament as Iran's first president in June 1981. In the summer of 1981, he protested to the veto of the parliament's plan by the Guardian Council and informed it to Ruhollah Khomeini. This led to the establishment of Expediency Discernment Council , which later he chaired

980-794: The Tehran contest, Rafsanjani came in 30th, or last, place. At first, he was not among the 30 representatives of Tehran elected, as announced by the Iranian Ministry of the Interior , but the Council of Guardians then ruled numerous ballots void, leading to accusations of ballot fraud in Rafsanjani's favor. In December 2006, Rafsanjani was elected to the Assembly of Experts representing Tehran with more than 1.5 million votes, which

1050-502: The Assembly was constructed at Baharestan Square in central Tehran, near the old Iranian Parliament building that had been used from 1906 to 1979. After several debates, the move was finally approved in 2004. The first session of the Parliament in the new building was held on 16 November 2004. The old building is depicted on the reverse of the Iranian 100 rial banknote. [REDACTED]   This article incorporates text from

1120-558: The British author Salman Rushdie for his Satanic Verses . Rafsanjani said that Iran is ready to assist Iraq, "expecting nothing in return", he also said that "peace and stability" is a function of the "evacuation of the occupiers." Iran gave humanitarian help to the victims of the conflict. Iran sent truckloads of food and medicine to Iraq, and thousands of Kuwaiti refugees were given shelter in Iran. Rafsanjani voiced support to Prince Abdullah's peace initiative and to "everything

1190-582: The Caucasus, including Azerbaijan , Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan . However, relations with European countries and the United States remained poor, even though Rafsanjani had a track record of handling difficult situations and defusing crises. He condemned both the United States and Ba'athist Iraq during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. After the war he strove to renew close ties with the West, although he refused to lift Khomeini 's fatwa against

1260-808: The Constitution of Iran, which is in the public domain . 1 (1906) 2 (1909) 3 (1914) 4 (1921) 5 (1923) 6 (1926) 7 (1928) 8 (1930) 9 (1933) 10 (1935) 11 (1937) 12 (1939) 13 (1941) 14 (1944) 15 (1947) 16 (1950) 17 (1952) 18 (1954) 19 (1956) 20 (1961) 21 (1963) 22 (1967) 23 (1971) 24 (1975) 1 (1980) 2 (1984) 3 (1988) 4 (1992) 5 (1996) 6 (2000) 7 (2004) 8 (2008) 9 (2012) 10 (2016) 11 (2020) 12 (2024) 35°41′30.28″N 51°26′04″E  /  35.6917444°N 51.43444°E  / 35.6917444; 51.43444 Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Ali Akbar Hashimi Bahramani Rafsanjani (25 August 1934 – 8 January 2017)

1330-515: The Iranian Parliament and the mausoleum of religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran. The attack on the mausoleum reportedly left 17 persons dead and more than 30 people injured. The parliament was attacked by four gunmen which left seven to eight people injured. Both attacks took place around the same time and appear to have been coordinated. The Islamic Consultative Assembly holds the authority to legislate laws on all matters within

1400-529: The Islamic Republic. Another source describes his administration as " economically liberal , politically authoritarian, and philosophically traditional" which put him in confrontation with more radical deputies in the majority in the Majles of Iran . As president, Rafsanjani was credited with spurring Iran's reconstruction following the 1980–88 war with Iraq . His reforms, despite attempting to curb

1470-585: The Palestinians agree to". He also stated that what he called "Iran's international interests" must take precedence over those of Iranian allies in Syria and Lebanon. Ayatollah Rafsanjani was a supporter of Iran's nuclear program. In 2007 Rafsanjani reiterated that the use of weapons of mass destruction was not part of the Islamic Republic culture. Rafsanjani said: "You [US and allies] are saying that you cannot trust Iran would not use its nuclear achievements in

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1540-470: The Parliament's character has evolved from being a "debating chamber for notables" to a "club for the shah's placemen " during the Pahlavi era. In the era of the Islamic Republic, it has shifted to being a body primarily influenced by members of the "propertied middle class." On 7 June 2017, there were shootings at the Iranian parliament and at the shrine of Ayatollah Khomeini . Gunmen opened fire at

1610-710: The Revolution, their numbers would not have mounted this way. I repeat that according to the Quran, we are determined to destroy all [Mojahedin] who display enmity against Islam. Rafsanjani also worked with Khamenei to maintain the stability of government after the death of Khomeini. Following years of deterioration in foreign relations under Khomeini during the Iran–Iraq War, Rafsanjani sought to rebuild ties with Arab states as well as with countries in Central Asia and

1680-486: The Statue of Liberty, and Yosemite National Park. According to Rafsanjani's brother, a bear broke into their car at Yosemite after they ignored a sign warning visitors not to keep food in their car. Rafsanjani had previously been to the West, visiting several European countries with his wife and children. He made a habit of taking notes about these developed countries to study their living conditions, industry, and resources, in

1750-425: The acting interior minister. He was one of the 28 founders of Traditional right-wing Combatant Clergy Association and also one of the members of the central committee of Islamic Republican Party at the first years of the revolution. Years later, it was he who requested IRP's dissolution. His political acumen and Khomeini's full trust helped Rafsanjani as one of the most powerful politicians in Iran at that time. At

1820-448: The affair in the US government claimed that Rafsanjani headed a "moderate" faction within Iran's government that they hoped to negotiate with. Exactly what role Rafsanjani himself played in this affair remains unclear. Rafsanjani's presidency reportedly began on 16 August 1989. adopted an "economy-first" policy, supporting a privatization policy against more state-owned economic tendencies in

1890-514: The assembly must be approved by the Guardian Council . Candidates must pledge in writing that they are committed, in theory and in practice, to the Iranian constitution . The parliament currently has 207 constituencies, including the five reserved seats for religious minorities. The remaining 202 constituencies are territorial, each covering one or more of Iran's 368 counties . Members of Parliament elect their speaker and deputy speakers during

1960-795: The bicameral structure of the Iranian legislature. In the 1989 constitutional revision, the National Consultative Assembly was renamed the Islamic Consultative Assembly . Since the Iranian Revolution , the Parliament of Iran has been led by six chairmen. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani served as the inaugural chairman from 1980 to 1989. Subsequently, Mehdi Karroubi held the position in two separate terms (1989–1992 and 2000–2004), followed by Ali Akbar Nategh-Nouri (1992–2000), Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel (2004–2008), Ali Larijani (2008–2020), and, since 2020, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf . Throughout its history,

2030-601: The boundaries defined by the Constitution. Nevertheless, it is restricted from enacting laws that contradict the fundamental principles of the official religion of the nation (Islam) or the Constitution itself. Government bills are submitted to the Islamic Consultative Assembly only after obtaining the approval of the Council of Ministers. The Islamic Consultative Assembly possesses the prerogative to investigate and scrutinize all matters concerning

2100-425: The candidate was "more suitable" than others for presidency. Reformers had enjoyed his support in recent years, helping to tilt the balance of power towards more moderate forces who managed to win the presidential poll in 2013 with the victory of Hassan Rouhani and parliamentary elections in 2016 . Rafsanjani was viewed as having enough influence over Khamenei to bring moderate views into consideration. His death

2170-400: The construction government was that it paid much attention to the development of industrial and transportation infrastructure. Post-presidency, Rafsanjani delivered a sermon at Tehran University in the summer of 1999 praising government use of force to suppress student demonstrations. In 2000, in the first election after the end of his presidency, Rafsanjani ran again for Parliament. In

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2240-600: The council. In the October 1981 presidential election , when he voted for Ali Khamenei , he described it as a vote of "Imam (Khomeini), clerics and the parliament". During differences between Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Khamenei, Hashemi managed to maintain a compromise between Mousavi's reformists and Khamenei's principlists . Rafsanjani had a prominent role in the Iran–Contra affair , as some participants in

2310-411: The country. International treaties, protocols, contracts, and agreements necessitate approval from the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Sanctioning and obtaining national or international loans or grants by the government requires ratification from the Islamic Consultative Assembly. The President must secure a vote of confidence from the Assembly, through a Council of Ministers approval, upon forming

2380-473: The dismissal of cabinet ministers through no-confidence votes and can impeach the president for misconduct in office. Although the executive proposes most new laws, individual deputies of the parliament also may introduce legislation. Deputies also may propose amendments to bills being debated. The parliament also drafts legislation, ratifies international treaties, and approves the national budget. All candidates running for election, and proposed legislation from

2450-498: The election crisis, mass arrests and the issue of freedom of expression during Friday prayers . The prayers witnessed an extremely large crowd that resembled the Friday prayers early after the revolution. Supporters of both reformist and conservative parties took part in the event. During prayers, Rafsanjani argued the following: All of us the establishment, the security forces, police, parliament and even protestors should move within

2520-535: The election were certified by the Supreme Leader, Rafsanjani was reported to have called a meeting of the Assembly of Experts, but it is unknown what the outcome or disposition of this meeting actually was. During this time Rafsanjani relocated from Tehran to Qom , where the country's religious leaders sit. However, for the most part, Rafsanjani was silent about the controversial 12 June election and its aftermath. On 17 July 2009, Rafsanjani publicly addressed

2590-438: The evangelizers of democracy in Iran. Some members of the front however belong to different factions and ideologies, as described by Saeed Hajjarian it is " the party of between the two Abbas " ( Persian : حزب بین‌العباسین , referring to the gap between right-winger Abbas Duzduzani and left-winger Abbas Abdi ). It was led by former Secretary-General of the party, Mohammad Reza Khatami (the brother of Mohammad Khatami ,

2660-401: The fifth President of Iran ) before the election of Mohsen Mirdamadi as new Secretary-General in 9th congress. In 2004, Mohammad Reza Khatami, along with other prominent members such as Elaheh Koulaei , Mohsen Mirdamadi , and Ali Shakouri-Rad were barred from standing in the parliament elections by the Council of Guardians . In spring of 2005, this party supported Mostafa Moin in

2730-455: The first session of Parliament for a one-year term. Every year, almost always in May, elections for new speakers are held in which incumbents may be re-elected. The current Speaker of Parliament is Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf , with First Deputy Speaker Hamid-Reza Haji Babaee and Second Deputy Speaker Ali Nikzad . The last election of Parliament of Iran were held on 1 March 2024 and a second round

2800-410: The framework of law... We should open the doors to debates. We should not keep so many people in prison. We should free them to take care of their families. ... It is impossible to restore public confidence overnight, but we have to let everyone speak out. ... We should have logical and brotherly discussions and our people will make their judgments. ... We should let our media write within the framework of

2870-400: The global economy. Rafsanjani urged universities to cooperate with industries. Turning to the quick pace of developments in today's world, he said that with "the world constantly changing, we should adjust ourselves to the conditions of our lifetime and make decisions according to present circumstances". Among the projects he initiated are Islamic Azad University . During his presidency,

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2940-505: The government and prior to conducting any other business. In the event that at least one-fourth of the total members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly raise a question to the President, or if any Assembly member poses a question to a minister regarding their duties, the President or the minister is obligated to attend the Assembly and address the query. All legislation endorsed by the Islamic Consultative Assembly must be submitted to

3010-418: The historical gap between the country Iran development programs in the first government of Rafsanjani. The fifth government soon managed to recover the economy and moved the arrowhead of the indicators in a different direction. The first action of the fifth government was devoted to designing the first development plan of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The men that Rafsanjani had chosen to run the country took over

3080-573: The last year of Iran–Iraq War . He forced Khomeini to accept to end the war. Only three months after his appointment as Iran's deputy commander-in-chief, Iran accepted United Nations Security Council Resolution 598 and eight-year war was ended. Iran's first Election Law was developed with Rafsanjani's partnership. He nominated as one of the Islamic Republican Party 's candidates in the 1980 legislative election in Tehran . He gained 1,151,514 (54%) votes and ranked 15. Rafsanjani

3150-439: The law and we should not impose restrictions on them. ... We should let our media even criticize us. Our security forces, our police and other organs have to guarantee such a climate for criticism. His support for the Green Movement reinvigorated his image among the urban middle-class segments of Iranian society who made up the bulk of the movement and solidified Rafsanjani's role as a backer of factions within Iran that advocated

3220-469: The military industries, but we are ready to give you full assurances in this respect." According to The Economist , he is regarded by many Iranians "as the only person with the guile and clout to strike a deal with the West to end economic sanctions" imposed upon the country due to its nuclear program. After the end of the Iran-Iraq war , the need for a road map for the future was felt in order to end

3290-451: The minimum basic needs of the people, determining and modifying the pattern Consumption, organization reform and executive and judicial management of the country were considered. The most important characteristics of the two periods of Rafsanjani's government were the developmental and building approach, the establishment of a free economy in the country, and the use of Extraterritorial jurisdiction managers and technocrats . Characteristic of

3360-456: The party and closed down its office when it had scheduled to hold its annual meeting. The party called the action "an illegal act". In October, the party declared that Branch 27 of Tehran General Court overturned the decision of the Ministry of Interior 's Article 10 Commission, responsible for licensing political parties in Iran. On 27 September 2010, prosecutor-general told press that the party

3430-518: The powers of the ultra-conservatives, failed to do so, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards received increasing power from Khamenei during his presidency. He was also accused of corruption by both conservatives and reformists, and was known for tough crackdowns on dissent. Rafsanjani advocated a free market economy. With the state's coffers full, Rafsanjani pursued an economic liberalization policy. Rafsanjani's support for

3500-786: The presidential election together with its unofficial daily Eqbal which was disestablished in July 2005. The decision center of the party is the Central Council, which has thirty members. Some of the members include: Following 2009 post-poll protests , the government suspended the party along with the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution of Iran Organization in April 2010. A few weeks later in March, Iranian Judiciary banned

3570-475: The reform of the system to ensure its survival. On 8 March 2011 Rafsanjani lost his post as chairman of the powerful Assembly of Experts , replaced by Ayatollah Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani . Rafsanjani stated that he withdrew from the election for chairman to "avoid division." The loss was said to be the result of intensive lobbying "in recent weeks" by "hardliners and supporters" of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , and part of Rafsanjani's gradual loss of power over

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3640-473: The role and vote of people in the Islamic Republic constitution. The event has been considered by analysts as the most important and most turbulent Friday prayer in the history of contemporary Iran. Nearly 1.5 to 2.5 million people attended the speech in Tehran. During the 2009 presidential election , Rafsanjani's former rival and incumbent president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, won a disputed landslide victory over challenger Mir-Hossein Mousavi . His daughter

3710-404: The run-off. He and his family faced political isolation for their support of the opposition in 2009 . Rafsanjani entered the race for the 2013 presidential election , but he was disqualified by the Guardian Council . With Hassan Rouhani 's election, in which Rafsanjani openly supported him, the Rafsanjani family gradually recovered their political reputation. Rafsanjani died in 2017, following

3780-486: The speaker of parliament, Commander-in-Chief during the Iran–Iraq War , President, and chose Ali Khamenei as the supreme leader of Iran. Rafsanjani became president of Iran after winning the 1989 election . He served another term by winning the election in 1993 . In the 2005 election he ran for a third term in office, placing first in the first round of elections but ultimately losing to rival Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in

3850-422: The task of drafting the plan, and the first development plan was approved by the parliament at the end of 1990. The general goals of this program are rebuilding and equipping the defense base, rebuilding and modernizing production and infrastructure capacities and population centers damaged during the imposed war, quantitative expansion and qualitative improvement of public culture, creating economic growth, providing

3920-531: The time, he was the closest person to the Khomeini and ruled as his "eyes and ears". According to the Gold , Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was established with the help of Rafsanjani. Rafsanjani served as one of the Tehran's Friday Prayer Imams (for next thirty years), Representative of Khomeini at Defense High Council (after death of Mostafa Chamran ) and Second-in-Command of Iran's Joint Chiefs of Staff in

3990-419: The years. On 11 May 2013, Rafsanjani registered for the 14 June presidential election with just minutes to spare. Former reformist president Mohammad Khatami endorsed him. However, on 21 May 2013, Iran's electoral center, Guardian Council disqualified him from standing in the presidential election. On 11 June 2013, Rafsanjani endorsed moderate Hassan Rouhani in the elections for Iran's presidency saying

4060-400: Was 82 years old at the time of his death. The government announced three days of national mourning and a public holiday on his funeral day. Black banners were raised in Tehran and other cities and some posters showed the Supreme Leader and Rafsanjani together smiling. Five days of mourning also observed in the southern province of Kerman , where Ayatollah Rafsanjani's hometown of Rafsanjan

4130-516: Was an Iranian politician and writer who served as the fourth president of Iran from 1989 to 1997. One of the founding fathers of the Islamic Republic , Rafsanjani was the head of the Assembly of Experts from 2007 until 2011 when he decided not to nominate himself for the post. He was also the chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council . During his 40-year tenure, Rafsanjani amassed a large amount of power serving as

4200-526: Was another reason for his arrest. In prison, he found the opportunity to become familiar with other groups opposed to the Shah. In the mid-1970s, Rafsanjani travelled to various countries to evaluate the position of anti-Shah resistance groups abroad, including the United States, where his brother Mohammad Hashemi Rafsanjani was studying. Rafsanjani travelled across sixteen states during his two-week stay, where his brother showed him locations such as Hollywood,

4270-412: Was arrested on 21 June by plain clothes Basij during the subsequent protest and later sentenced to six months in jail on charges of spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic. Ayatollah Akbar Rafsanjani was chairman of the Assembly of Experts , which is responsible for appointing or removing the Supreme Leader, who has been rumored to not be in the best of health. After the disputed results of

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4340-469: Was born on 25 August 1934 in the village of Bahraman near the city of Rafsanjan in Kerman Province, to a wealthy family of pistachio farmers. He had seven siblings. His father, Mirza Ali Hashemi Behramani, was a pistachio merchant, one of Kerman's famous businessmen. His mother, Hajie Khanom Mahbibi Hashemi, died at the age of 90 on 21 December 1995. One of his brothers, Mohammad Hashemi ,

4410-436: Was held on 10 May 2024 in those 22 districts where no candidate received 20% or more of the votes cast. More than 48,000 candidates registered, but leaving about 15,000 candidates to run for the 290 seats representing the 31 provinces. The final results showed that principlists won 233 of 290 seats in the assembly. After 1979, the Parliament convened at the building that used to house the Senate of Iran . A new building for

4480-574: Was in jail for four years and 5 months in total due to his clandestine activities against the Pahlavi regime. Khomeini made him the financial manager of the revolutionary struggle as well as the bridge with other revolutionary groups. Among the groups that had a deep bond with Hashemi, was the Islamic Coalition Party , which is known as responsible for the assassination of former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Mansur . This communication

4550-437: Was more than any other candidate. Ahmadinejad's opponents won the majority of local election seats. On 4 September 2007 he was elected Chairman of the Assembly of Experts , the body that selects Iran's supreme leader , in what was considered a blow to the supporters of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad . He won the chairmanship with 41 votes of the 76 cast. His ultraconservative opponent, Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, received 31 votes. Rafsanjani

4620-510: Was re-elected to the position on 10 March 2009, running against Mohammad Yazdi . He received 51 votes compared to Yazdi's 26. On 8 March 2011, he withdrew from the election and Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Mahdavi Kani was elected as his replacement. Following his presidency, Rafsanjani also became an advocate of greater freedom of expression and tolerance in Iranian society. In a speech on 17 July 2009, Rafsanjani criticized restriction of media and suppression of activists, and put emphasis on

4690-427: Was studying at Qom Seminary , he became interested in politics under Ruhollah Khomeini . He was one of the opposers of Mohammad Reza Shah 's White Revolution and accompanied Khomeini. With Khomeini's exile, Hashemi's role in the fight against the Shah and representing Khomeini in the country was highlighted. This opposition eventually led to his arrest and imprisonment. He was arrested 7 times from 1960 until 1979 and

4760-486: Was the Speaker of Parliament of Iran for 9 years. He was elected as the speaker in 1980 in the first season of Parliament after the Iranian Revolution . He was also chairman in the second season and first year of the third parliament. After the death of Ruhollah Khomeini , founder of the Islamic Republic and election of then-President Ali Khamenei as new supreme leader, he joined the 1989 presidential race and became

4830-485: Was the last time that he joined an election as a candidate and will be retired from politics at the end of the current term. He also said "Now I can die with peace of mind" after seeing election of a moderate parliament in the 2016 legislative election . Rafsanjani died on 8 January 2017, at 19:30 ( UTC+03:30 ) due to a heart attack in a pool. He was brought immediately to Tajrish 's Shohada-ye Tajrish Hospital in north Tehran, as reported by Iranian state-run media. He

4900-484: Was therefore regarded as an event that strengthened the power of hardliners and weakened the influence of moderates. He also kept his traditional connections with the clergy in the holy city of Qom and with conservative forces within the political establishment, which made it difficult for hardliners to form a strong front against moderate forces. After winning reelection to his seat at Assembly of Experts as Tehran district's first person, Rafsanjani announced that it

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