Assembly of Experts

As the 3 August 1979 elections for the Assembly of Experts drew near, Ruhollah Khomeini began to signal to Iranians which candidates they should support and which they should avoid. He characterized the opposition as Westernized intellectuals, Marxists, and morally corrupt secular groups who neither believed in Islam or who opposed the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The results of the Assembly of Experts election fulfilled Ayatollah Khomeini's objectives as sixty-eight percent of the elected representatives were clerics, with fifty out of the seventy-three members being part of the clergy.{{cite book|author=Arshin Adib-Moghaddam|title=A Critical Introduction to Khomeini|date=2014|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-107-72906-3|pages=109–116}}

{{see also|List of chairmen of the Assembly of Experts}}

According to Article 111 of the Iranian Constitution, the assembly is in charge of supervising, dismissing and electing the Supreme Leader.

Whenever the Leader becomes incapable of fulfilling his constitutional duties, or loses one of the qualifications mentioned in Articles 5 and 109, or it becomes known that he did not possess some of the qualifications initially, he will be dismissed. The authority of determination in this matter is vested with the experts specified in Article 108. In the event of the death, or resignation or dismissal of the Leader, the experts shall take steps within the shortest possible time for the appointment of the new Leader. ... Whenever the Leader becomes temporarily unable to perform the duties of leadership owing to his illness or any other incident, then during this period, the council mentioned in this Article shall assume his duties.{{cite web |title=Iran (Islamic Republic of)'s Constitution of 1979 with Amendments through 1989. Article 111 |url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Iran_1989.pdf?lang=en |website=Constitute |access-date=7 September 2022}}{{cite web |url=http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/Government/constitution-8.html |title=Iranian Government Constitution, English Text |publisher=Iran Online |access-date=28 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123063337/http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/Government/constitution-8.html |archive-date=23 November 2010}}

To choose the Supreme Leader, the Experts review qualified candidates and consult among themselves. According to the Constitution, the criteria of qualification for the office of the Supreme Leader include "Islamic scholarship, justice, piety, right political and social perspicacity, prudence, courage, administrative facilities and adequate capability for leadership." The jurist deemed as the most well-versed in Islamic regulations, in fiqh, or in political and social issues, most generally popular, or of other special prominence is chosen as Supreme Leader. Otherwise, in the absence of such a candidate, the Experts elect and declare one of their own as Supreme Leader.

Article 107 of the constitution states:

the task of appointing the Leader shall be vested with the experts elected by the people. The experts will review and consult among themselves concerning all the fuqaha' possessing the qualifications specified in

Articles 5 and 109. In the event they find one of them 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 mentioned in Article 109, they shall elect him as the Leader. Otherwise, in the absence of such a superiority, they shall elect and declare one of them as the Leader. The Leader thus elected by the Assembly of Experts shall assume all the powers of the wilayat al-amr and all the responsibilities arising therefrom.{{cite web |title=Iran (Islamic Republic of)'s Constitution of 1979 with Amendments through 1989. Article 107 |url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Iran_1989.pdf?lang=en |website=Constitute |access-date=7 September 2022}}

Article 99 of the constitution declares "The Guardian Council has the responsibility of supervising the elections of the Assembly of Experts for Leadership". It also had the responsibility for setting up the first Assembly. The constitution does not specify requirements for candidacy for the Assembly of Experts, leaving the Assembly itself to put limits on who may run for membership. Article 108 states:

The law setting out the number and qualifications of the experts [mentioned in the preceding article], the mode of their election, and the code of procedure regulating the sessions during the first term must be drawn up by the fuqaha' on the first Guardian Council, passed by a majority of votes and then finally approved by the Leader of the Revolution. The power to make any subsequent change or a review of this law, or approval of all the provisions concerning the duties of the experts is vested in themselves.

The 1989 Iranian constitutional referendum removed the requirement for the leader to be a marja'. Ali Khamenei was not a marja' at that time.

How much actual power the Assembly has to supervise or oversee the Supreme Leader has been questioned. The assembly has never dismissed or even questioned a sitting Supreme Leader and, as all of its meetings and notes are strictly confidential, it has never been known to challenge or otherwise publicly oversee any of the Supreme Leader's decisions."Iran Announces Second Extension of Voting," Reuters, 23 October 1998. quoted in {{cite book |last1=Wright |first1=Robin |title=The Last Great Revolution: Turmoil and Transformation in Iran |date=2001 |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Group |page=317 note 26 |isbn=9780307766076 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=25_l12OBeYkC&dq=%22Iran+Announces+Second+Extension+of+Voting%2C%22+Reuters%2C+23+October+1998.&pg=PA317 |access-date=13 October 2022}} All candidates to the Assembly (as well as the President and the Majlis or Parliament), are selected by the Guardian Council, half of whose members are selected by the Supreme Leader.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/14/rafsanjani-breaks-taboo-over-selection-of-irans-next-supreme-leader|title=Rafsanjani breaks taboo over selection of Iran's next supreme leader|date=14 December 2015|website=The Guardian|access-date=1 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161218132154/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/14/rafsanjani-breaks-taboo-over-selection-of-irans-next-supreme-leader|archive-date=18 December 2016|url-status=live}} Also, all directly elected members after the vetting process by the Guardian Council still have to be approved by the Supreme Leader.{{cite web|url=http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/ir00000_.html|title=ICL – Iran – Constitution|website=Servat.unibe.ch|access-date=15 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821093931/http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/ir00000_.html|archive-date=21 August 2018|url-status=live}} {{cite web|url=http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/markaz/posts/2016/02/09-iran-election-assembly-of-experts-explainer-borden|title=Everything you need to know about Iran's Assembly of Experts election|website=Brookings.edu|date=30 November 2001 |access-date=1 July 2016}}

Furthermore, there have been instances of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei publicly criticizing members of the Assembly, resulting in that member's arrest and an end to their time on the Assembly—an example being Khamenei's denouncing of then-member of the Assembly Ahmad Azari Qomi as a "traitor" after the publishing of an open letter by Qomi criticizing Khamenei, resulting in Qomi's arrest and the eventual rejection by the Guardian Council of his candidacy for re-election to the Assembly.{{Cite journal |last=Künkler |first=Mirjam |date=2009-05-13 |title=The Special Court of the Clergy (Dādgāh-Ye Vizheh-Ye Ruhāniyat) and the Repression of Dissident Clergy in Iran |url=https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=1505542 |language=en |location=Rochester, NY|doi=10.2139/ssrn.1505542 |ssrn=1505542 |url-access=subscription }}{{cite web|url=http://www.iran.org/humanrights/AM037.htm|title=Action memorandum 037 – The Foundation for Democracy in Iran|date=4 December 1997}}

The assembly gathers every six months. Activities of the assembly include compiling a list of those eligible to become Supreme Leader in the event of the current Supreme Leader's death, resignation, or dismissal. This is done by the 107/109 commission.{{Cite web|url=http://www.khobregan.ir/persian/ashnaee/08.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007215219/http://www.khobregan.ir/persian/ashnaee/08.htm|url-status=dead|title=Discussion and assembly website|archivedate=7 October 2007}} 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 the Assembly report to this commission about the issues concerning the current Supreme Leader, and the commission can then order an emergency meeting of the Assembly. If the commission denies this, the members can ask the entire plenary of the Assembly (86 members) for a vote, and if most of the members vote in favor, an emergency meeting will be scheduled to discuss the current Supreme 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 assembly has passed laws to require all its members be experts in fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence),[http://www.khobregan.ir/persian/ashnaee/09.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928204955/http://www.khobregan.ir/persian/ashnaee/09.htm|date=28 September 2007}} authorizing the Guardian Council to vet candidates for ijtihad proficiency using written and oral examinations. This law was 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.aftabnews.ir/vdciryat1yazw.html |title=آفتاب – شورای مشورتی اصلاح طلبان برای شوراها |work=Aftab News |access-date=1 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205160307/http://www.aftabnews.ir/vdciryat1yazw.html |archive-date=5 February 2012}}[http://www.baztab.com/news/49011.php موسوی لاری و تشريح برنامه های مجمع روحانيون در خبرگان] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220150940/http://www.baztab.com/news/49011.php |date=20 February 2009}} Women (Mujtahidehs) are theoretically eligible to run for the Assembly of Experts and in 1998 nine women submitted their candidacy. The Guardian Council rejected them, arguing that they lacked qualifications in fiqh.

Currently, the average age of the members of the Assembly is over 60, which results in many mid-term elections due to deaths and resignations. The members must be Ayatollahs, that is not the case, however, for Mohsen Esmaeili.

4 year elections were abandoned in 2023 in favor of 8 year terms.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espadanakhabar.ir/news/%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%87-%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3-%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%DB%B8-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%B4%D8%AF|title=دوره مجلس خبرگان ۸ ساله شد | اسپادانا خبر|website=espadanakhabar.ir|accessdate=16 February 2024}}

The first elections for the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership were held in December 1982 and the Assembly first convened in 1983. 76 of the total of 83 members were elected in the first round, the rest in the second. The full list of members and election results is available on the Princeton Iran Data Portal.{{cite web |url=http://www.princeton.edu/irandataportal/elections/experts/1982 |title=Iran Data Portal |website=Princeton.edu |access-date=2017-02-26 |archive-date=19 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219083257/http://www.princeton.edu/irandataportal/elections/experts/1982/ |url-status=live }}

As a number of members died, by-elections for replacement candidates were held in April 1988.

The Assembly was chaired throughout the term by Ayatollah Ali Meshkini, who chaired the Assembly also in subsequent terms until 2007.

In 1985, the Assembly chose Ayatollah Montazeri as the successor to Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah Khomeini. But on Sunday, 26 March 1989 Khomeini dismissed him in a letter: "[...]you are no longer eligible to succeed me as the legitimate leader of the state."[http://www.irvl.net/Translation%20of%20Ayatollah%20Khomeini's%20Letter%20Dismissing%20Montazeri.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070306183950/http://www.irvl.net/Translation%20of%20Ayatollah%20Khomeini%27s%20Letter%20Dismissing%20Montazeri.htm|date=6 March 2007}} Following the death of Ruhollah Khomeini on 3 June 1989, the Assembly of Experts chose Ali Khamenei to be his successor as Supreme Leader in what proved to be a smooth transition.{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5314.htm |title=Background Note: Iran |publisher=State.gov |date=1 February 2012 |access-date=1 June 2012 |archive-date=21 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121022127/https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5314.htm |url-status=live }} 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-thirds of the votes.{{cite web |url=http://www.khobreganrahbari.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=76 |title=خبرگان رهبری – رييس مجمع تشخيص مصلحت نظام: از مهمترين پيشرف |publisher=Khobreganrahbari.com |access-date=2012-07-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206014905/http://www.khobreganrahbari.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=76 |archive-date=6 February 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.iran57.com/Rafsanjani%20T%20dar%20sal%2068%20mokhalef%20rahbarie%20fardi'%20Ilna%2016%20Azar%201385.doc |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-12-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615024327/http://www.iran57.com/Rafsanjani%20T%20dar%20sal%2068%20mokhalef%20rahbarie%20fardi%27%20Ilna%2016%20Azar%201385.doc |archive-date=15 June 2007}}

The Second Assembly was also chaired by Ayatollah Ali Meshkini. The full list of members and election results is available on the Princeton Iran Data Portal.{{cite web |url=http://www.princeton.edu/irandataportal/elections/experts/1990 |title=Iran Data Portal |website=Princeton.edu |access-date=2017-02-26 |archive-date=19 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219082310/http://www.princeton.edu/irandataportal/elections/experts/1990/ |url-status=live }} Sayed Mohammad Fagheh was one of the members from the province Neyriz Fars.

The 3rd assembly was again chaired by Ayatollah Ali Meshkini, deputied by Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, and Ayatollah Ebrahim Amini. The scribes were former Minister of Intelligence Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi and Ahmad Khatami. The members according to each province were:{{cite web |author=Manou & Associates Inc. |url=http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/Government/ASSEMBLY-OF-EXPERTS-members.html |title=Islamic Republic of Iran Members of Assembly of Experts |work=Iran online |access-date=1 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221012645/http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/Government/ASSEMBLY-OF-EXPERTS-members.html |archive-date=21 February 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://www.princeton.edu/irandataportal/elections/experts/1998 |title=Iran Data Portal |website=Princeton.edu |access-date=2017-02-26 |archive-date=8 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130108094730/http://www.princeton.edu/irandataportal/elections/experts/1998/ |url-status=live }}

{{col-begin}}{{col-3}}

• Tehran:

1. Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
2. Meshkini, Ali Akbar
3. Mohammad Mohammadi Reyshahri
4. Mohammad Imami Kashani
5. Mohammad Yazdi
6. Ahmad Jannati
7. Mohammad Reza Tavassoli
8. Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi
9. Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi
10. Majid Ansari
11. Asadi Khansari, Agha Baqer
12. Mohsen Kharrazi
13. Mohammad Mohammadi Gilani
14. Mohsen Qomi
15. Reza Ostadi
16. Gholam Reza Rezvani

• East Azarbaijan:

1. Mojtahed Shabestari, Mohsen
2. Seyed Reyhani, Seyed Abolfazl
3. Hashemzadeh Harisi, Hashem
4. Ahmadi, Ali
5. Oroumian, Ali

• West Azarbaijan:

1. Ghaffari Gharebagh, Mir-Akbar
2. Pour-Mir Ghaffari, Seyed Mohsen
3. Ghoreishi, Mir-Ali Akbar

• Isfahan:

1. Yasrebi, seyed Mehdi
2. Mazaheri Tehrani, Mirza Hossein
3. Hashemi, Seyed Esmail
4. Moqtadaie, Morteza
5. Mahdavi, Abolhasan

• Ardabil:

1. Khalilzadeh, Bouck Agha ( died & Replaced By Seyyed Hatami, Mir Ebrahim)
2. Nourani Taqi Deizaj, Mostafa

• Ilam:

1. Mohammadi, Rahim

• Bushehr:

1. Abdonnabi Namazi

{{col-3}}

• Chahar-Mahaal and Bakhtiari Province:

1. Haj Amini Najaf Abadi, Ebrahim

• Khorasan:

1. Ebadi, Seyed Mehdi
2. Khazali, Abolghasem
3. Hashemi Shahrodi, Seyed Mahmod
4. Masomi, Ali Asqar
5. Ferdosi Pour, Esmail
6. Mehman Navaz, Habiboallah
7. Abbas Vaeze Tabasi
8. Alami, Hasan

• Khouzestan:

1. Shafei, Seyed Ali
2. Mousavi, Seyed Mohammad Ali
3. Abbasi Fard, Mohammad Reza
4. Ali Fallahian
5. Abbas Kabi Nasab
6. Mohammadi Araghi, Mohsen

• Zanjan:

1. Mousavi, Seyed Esmail

• Semnan:

1. Alami, Mohammad Ali

• Sistan va Balouchestan:

1. Hosseyni, Seyed Mojtaba
2. Madani, Mohammad Eshaq

• Fars:

1. Dastqeib, Seyed Ali Asqar
2. Dastqeib, Seyed Ali Mohammad
3. Beheshti, Ahmad
4. Hosseyni, Seyed Mohammad Hossein
5. Imani, Asadollah

• Qom:

1. Seyed Rohani, Agha Mehdi

• Qazvin:

1. Mousavi Pour, Seyed Hasan
2. Sheikh Mohammadi, Ali

• Kurdistan:

1. Sheikholleslami, Mohammad
2. Abdolqader Zahedi

{{col-3}}

• Kermanshah:

1. Ahmadi, Zekrollah
2. Zarandi, Hossein

• Kerman:

1. Seyed Ahmad Khatami
2. Hashemian, Mohammad
3. Mohammad Ali Movahedi

• Kohgiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad:

1. Malek Hosseyni, Seyed Keramatollah

• Golestan:

1. Noor Mofidi, Seyed Kazem
2. Taheri, Seyed Habibollah

• Gilan:

1. Aminian, Mokhtar
2. Mahfoozi, Abbas
3. Ghorbani, Zeinolabedin
4. Taskhiri, Mohammad Ali

• Lorestan:

1. Taheri Khorram Abadi, Seyed Hasan
2. Shahrokhi, Seyed Mohammad Taqi

• Markazi:

1. Mohseni Garakani, Ahmad
2. Mir-Mohammadi, Seyed Abolfazl

• Mazandaran:

1. Jabbari, Seyed Saber(died)
2. Sadeq Ardeshir Larijani
3. Karimi Kalabi, Seyed Jafar
4. Rohani Rad, Hadi

• Hormozgan:

1. Anvari, Mirza Mohammad

• Hamedan:

1. Saberi Hamedani, Ahmad
2. Dabestani, Seyed Abolhasan

• Yazd:

1. Khatam Yazdi, Abbas Agha

{{col-end}}

{{update|section|date=September 2017}}

{{further|Iranian Assembly of Experts election, 2006}}

File:Assembly of Experts.jpg

The election for the fourth assembly took place on 15 December 2006 and the Assembly first convened on 19 February 2007. In July 2007, chairman Ayatollah Meshkini died, and Ayatollah Rafsanjani was elected to succeed him. On 8 March 2011, Ayatollah Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani replaced Ayatollah Rafsanjani as chairman.{{cite web |last=Khalaji |first=Mehdi |title=Supreme Succession. Who Will Lead Post-Khamenei Iran? |url=http://www.metransparent.com/IMG/pdf/mehdi_khalaji_supreme_succession.pdf |publisher=The Washington Institute |location=Washington DC |format=Policy Focus (No. 117) |date=February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416184302/http://www.metransparent.com/IMG/pdf/mehdi_khalaji_supreme_succession.pdf |archive-date=16 April 2014}} On 4 June 2014, Mahdavi Kani fell into a coma after suffering a heart attack and died on 21 October 2014. He was succeeded by Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi as acting chairman.{{cite web |url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/ru/contents/afp/2014/10/iran-politics-clerics.html |title=Head of Iran's top clerical body dies – Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East |work=Al-Monitor |access-date=29 October 2014 |archive-date=29 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029040536/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/ru/contents/afp/2014/10/iran-politics-clerics.html |url-status=live }}

The term was intended to last for ten years, rather than the usual eight, due to the "election aggregation" plan of the government put in place to allow the government to run elections simultaneously for the Assembly of Experts and the Parliament, thereby economizing election administration costs.File:Majles Khobregan Rahbari2.JPG]]

{{main|2016 Iranian Assembly of Experts election|List of members in the Fifth Term of the Council of Experts}}

The election of 88 members of the Fifth Assembly took place on 26 February 2016 alongside of the election for 290 members of the Iranian Majlis (parliament). Those elected will sit for a projected 8-year term.{{cite news |title=Iran election extended amid high turnout |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35666107 |access-date=26 February 2016 |publisher=BBC |date=26 February 2016 |archive-date=26 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160226180116/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35666107 |url-status=live }} The new assembly was opened on 24 May 2016 and selected Ahmad Jannati as chairman of the Fifth Assembly.{{cite news |url=http://www.salon.com/2016/05/24/hard_line_cleric_becomes_speaker_of_assembly_of_expert/ |title=Hard-line cleric becomes speaker of Assembly of Expert |date=24 May 2016 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=24 May 2016 |archive-date=26 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160526123214/http://www.salon.com/2016/05/24/hard_line_cleric_becomes_speaker_of_assembly_of_expert/ |url-status=live }}

{{main|2024 Iranian Assembly of Experts election|List of members in the Sixth Term of the Council of Experts}}

The election of 88 members of the Sixth Assembly took place on 1 March 2024 alongside of the election for 290 members of the Iranian Majlis (parliament). Conservatives dominated the assembly elections{{Cite web |last=Motamedi |first=Maziar |title=Conservatives dominate Iran's parliament, assembly elections |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/2/conservatives-dominate-irans-parliament-assembly-elections |access-date=2024-03-20 |publisher=Al Jazeera|language=en}} Those elected will sit for a projected 8-year term.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-28 |title=Assembly of Experts (Iran) {{!}} Role, Powers, Function, & Election {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Assembly-of-Experts |access-date=2024-03-20 |website=Encyclopædia Britannica |language=en}} The new assembly was opened on 21 May 2024 and selected Mohammad-Ali Movahedi Kermani as chairman of the Sixth Assembly.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-06 |title=The sixth term of the Assembly of Experts will be opened in June |url=https://www.mehrnews.com/news/6048431/%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B4%D8%B4%D9%85-%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B1%D9%87%D8%A8%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AA%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AD-%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%AF |access-date=2024-03-20 |website=Mehr News Agency |language=fa}}

The Assembly has never dismissed or even questioned the Supreme Leader.{{cite web |title=Everything you need to know about Iran's Assembly of Experts election |url=http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/markaz/posts/2016/02/09-iran-election-assembly-of-experts-explainer-borden |author=Emma Borden |date=9 February 2016 |work=The Brookings Institution |access-date=31 March 2016 |archive-date=22 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422010438/http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/markaz/posts/2016/02/09-iran-election-assembly-of-experts-explainer-borden |url-status=live }} Due to Ali Khamenei's lengthy, unchallenged reign, many believe that the Assembly of Experts has become a ceremonial body without any real power.{{cite web |title=Myths and Realities of Iran's Parliamentary Elections |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/02/iran-parliamentary-elections-assembly-of-experts/470580/ |date=2016-02-23 |publisher=The Atlantic |access-date=2017-02-26 |archive-date=16 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216170320/https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/02/iran-parliamentary-elections-assembly-of-experts/470580/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Anomalies in Iran's Assembly of Experts Election – The Washington Institute for Near East Policy |url=http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/anomalies-and-results-from-irans-assembly-of-experts-election |date=2016-03-22 |website=Washingtoninstitute.org |access-date=2017-02-26 |archive-date=17 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817025352/http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/anomalies-and-results-from-irans-assembly-of-experts-election |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=The Islamic Republic Before and After the 2009 Elections |url=http://www.payvand.com/news/10/oct/1196.html |website=Payvand.com |access-date=2017-02-26 |archive-date=4 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204170728/http://www.payvand.com/news/10/oct/1196.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Archived copy |url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/06/24/Why-Khamenei-wants-the-next-Supreme-Leader-to-be-revolutionary-.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204170310/http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/06/24/Why-Khamenei-wants-the-next-Supreme-Leader-to-be-revolutionary-.html |archive-date=4 February 2017 |access-date=2017-06-03}} Iran's then-Chief Justice Sadeq Larijani, a Khamenei appointee, has stated that it is illegal for the Assembly of Experts to supervise Khamenei.{{cite web |title=Controversy in Iran Surrounding the Supervision of the Supreme Leader's Performance – ASHARQ AL-AWSAT |url=http://english.aawsat.com/2015/12/article55345842/55345842 |last=Al-awsat |first=Asharq |date=15 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625141325/http://english.aawsat.com/2015/12/article55345842/55345842 |archive-date=25 June 2016 |access-date=1 July 2016}}

There have been instances when the current Supreme Leader's public criticism of members of the Assembly of Experts was followed by their arrest and dismissal. For example, Khamenei publicly called member of the Assembly of Experts Ahmad Azari Qomi a traitor, resulting in Qomi's arrest and eventual dismissal from the Assembly of Experts. Another instance is when Khamenei indirectly called the late Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani a traitor for a statement he made, causing Rafsanjani to retract it.{{cite web |title=Rafsanjani missile tweet draws fire from Khamenei |url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/03/khamenei-rafsanjani-treason-mohammadi-tweet-missiles.html |author=Arash Karami |date=2016-03-31 |website=Al-monitor.com |access-date=2017-02-26 |archive-date=5 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205095802/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/03/khamenei-rafsanjani-treason-mohammadi-tweet-missiles.html |url-status=live }} Mehdi Karroubi, who has been under house arrest since 2011 without trial, by the direct order of Khamenei, said that "the Assembly of Experts, a council of elected clerics charged with electing, supervising and even disqualifying the Supreme Leader, has turned into a ceremonial council that only praises the Leader".{{cite news |last=Sharafedin |first=Bozorgmehr |date=30 January 2018 |title=Iranian opposition cleric accuses Khamenei of abuse of power |agency=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-politics-karroubi/iranian-opposition-cleric-accuses-khamenei-of-abuse-of-power-idUSKBN1FJ1R8 |access-date=6 April 2018 |archive-date=2 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202190037/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-politics-karroubi/iranian-opposition-cleric-accuses-khamenei-of-abuse-of-power-idUSKBN1FJ1R8 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Iranian cleric delivers rare public criticism of Ayatollah Khamenei – CBC News |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/iran-karroubi-khamenei-criticism-1.4510013 |website=cbc.ca |access-date=6 April 2018 |archive-date=25 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425231137/http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/iran-karroubi-khamenei-criticism-1.4510013 |url-status=live }}[https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-01-30/iranian-opposition-cleric-accuses-khamenei-of-abuse-of-power Iranian Opposition Cleric Accuses Khamenei of Abuse of Power] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202072016/https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-01-30/iranian-opposition-cleric-accuses-khamenei-of-abuse-of-power |date=2 February 2018 }} usnews.com

• List of current members in the Assembly of Experts
• List of members in the First Term of the Council of Experts
• List of members in the Second Term of the Council of Experts
• List of members in the Third Term of the Council of Experts
• List of members in the Fourth Term of the Council of Experts
• List of members in the Fifth Term of the Council of Experts
• List of members in the Sixth Term of the Council of Experts

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Assembly of Experts of the Leadership}}

• {{official website|http://www.khobregan.ir/}}
• [http://www.princeton.edu/irandataportal/elections/experts Princeton Iran Data Portal: List of Election Results for all years, including breakdown by province]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20101123063337/http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/Government/constitution-8.html Assembly of Experts in the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran]
• [https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20070630133328/http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/iranian.studies/Policy%20Brief%201.pdf Understanding Iran's Assembly of Experts] from Durham University
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071001000548/http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0612168409135619.htm Results of Assembly of Experts elections in 6 provinces]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930201146/http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0612161906194931.htm Results of Assembly of Experts elections in four provinces]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930231924/http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0612171170100918.htm Results of Assembly of Experts elections in some provinces]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110722055332/http://www.sssup.it/context_eng.jsp?ID_LINK=7945&area=47 Iran Electoral Archive – Assembly of Experts]

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Category:Electoral colleges

Category:Politics of Iran

Category:Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Category:Law of Iran