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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Rafsanjani to lead key Iran body | Rafsanjani to lead key Iran body |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has been elected speaker of a powerful clerical body responsible for supervising Iran's Supreme Leader. | Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has been elected speaker of a powerful clerical body responsible for supervising Iran's Supreme Leader. |
| The Assembly of Experts has the power to dismiss the Islamic state's highest authority, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. | The Assembly of Experts has the power to dismiss the Islamic state's highest authority, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. |
| Mr Rafsanjani will succeed Ayatollah Ali Meshkini, who died in July. | Mr Rafsanjani will succeed Ayatollah Ali Meshkini, who died in July. |
| Correspondents say the appointment further consolidates the authority of Mr Rafsanjani, who is already a powerful figure in Iranian politics. | Correspondents say the appointment further consolidates the authority of Mr Rafsanjani, who is already a powerful figure in Iranian politics. |
| Considered a "pragmatic conservative", Mr Rafsanjani's victory will also be seen as a blow to Iran's hardline president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. | |
| The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says there is now a clear divide in Iranian politics between supporters of Mr Rafsanjani and those of Mr Ahmadinejad, and a complex power struggle is being carried out behind the scenes. | The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says there is now a clear divide in Iranian politics between supporters of Mr Rafsanjani and those of Mr Ahmadinejad, and a complex power struggle is being carried out behind the scenes. |
| Power struggle | Power struggle |
| Before he went into the election, which was held behind closed doors, Mr Rafsanjani was keen to stress the importance of the supervisory body. | Before he went into the election, which was held behind closed doors, Mr Rafsanjani was keen to stress the importance of the supervisory body. |
| The Assembly of Experts should be considered one of the main pillars of the country Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Who runs Iran | The Assembly of Experts should be considered one of the main pillars of the country Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Who runs Iran |
| "The Assembly of Experts should be considered one of the main pillars of the country because it has the responsibility to supervise the leader's qualification," he said. | "The Assembly of Experts should be considered one of the main pillars of the country because it has the responsibility to supervise the leader's qualification," he said. |
| Afterwards, officials announced that Mr Rafsanjani had received 41 votes in the 86-seat assembly, 11 more than his nearest challenger, Ayatollah Ahmed Jannati. | Afterwards, officials announced that Mr Rafsanjani had received 41 votes in the 86-seat assembly, 11 more than his nearest challenger, Ayatollah Ahmed Jannati. |
| Ayatollah Jannati, a hard-line conservative cleric who heads the powerful Guardian Council, had earlier expressed his unhappiness with Mr Rafsanjani's political resurgence. | Ayatollah Jannati, a hard-line conservative cleric who heads the powerful Guardian Council, had earlier expressed his unhappiness with Mr Rafsanjani's political resurgence. |
| Ayatollah Mohammed Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, an anti-reformist cleric considered Mr Ahmedinejad's mentor, came third in the election. | Ayatollah Mohammed Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, an anti-reformist cleric considered Mr Ahmedinejad's mentor, came third in the election. |
| Influential politician | Influential politician |
| Mr Rafsanjani has been a dominant figure in Iranian politics since the 1980s. | Mr Rafsanjani has been a dominant figure in Iranian politics since the 1980s. |
| The assembly has never openly challenged the Supreme Leader | The assembly has never openly challenged the Supreme Leader |
| He served two terms as president from 1989 to 1997, after nine years as an influential speaker of parliament under Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the republic. | He served two terms as president from 1989 to 1997, after nine years as an influential speaker of parliament under Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the republic. |
| As president, Mr Rafsanjani sought to encourage a rapprochement with the West and Russia and to re-establish Iran as a regional power. He also advocated free-market economic reforms and opposed harsh Islamic penal codes. | As president, Mr Rafsanjani sought to encourage a rapprochement with the West and Russia and to re-establish Iran as a regional power. He also advocated free-market economic reforms and opposed harsh Islamic penal codes. |
| He stood again for the presidency in June 2005, but despite receiving the highest number of votes in the election's first round, was beaten in a run-off vote by Mr Ahmadinejad. | He stood again for the presidency in June 2005, but despite receiving the highest number of votes in the election's first round, was beaten in a run-off vote by Mr Ahmadinejad. |
| In December, Mr Rafsanjani joined the Assembly of Experts and was elected deputy speaker shortly afterwards. | In December, Mr Rafsanjani joined the Assembly of Experts and was elected deputy speaker shortly afterwards. |
| He is also head of the Expediency Council, a body which arbitrates in disputes between parliament and the Guardian Council. | He is also head of the Expediency Council, a body which arbitrates in disputes between parliament and the Guardian Council. |