Senior cleric hails election of future chairman of Assembly of Experts

The representative of the Supreme Leader in East Azerbaijan province detailed his views on the duties of the incoming members of the firth Assembly of Experts, saying, “the election of future chairman of Assembly of Experts, obviously enought, will be a revolutionary act.”

According to Rasa, Ayatollah Mohsen Mojtahed-Shabestari, the representative of the Supreme Leader in East Azerbaijan province, referred to the emphasis by the Supreme Leader on the Assembly of Experts being revolutionary and acting in a revolutionary manner, saying that the Assembly of Experts has the two duties – one of which is appointing the Supreme Leader.

His Eminence said that according to Article 111 of the Iranian constitution, another duty of the Assembly of Experts is monitoring the eligibility of the Supreme Leader and added that the Assembly of Experts should be on the path of the Supreme Leader.

Ayatollah Mojtahed-Shabestari said that in regard to the second task of the Assembly of Experts, it is also necessary that revolutionary people, through a revolutionary vision, recognize the eligibility of the current leader and added that these people must acertain that the Leader has the necessary characteristics, or has not lost these characteristics.

He continued, “Since the Assembly of Experts has duties in regard to the Leader, who is the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, the [Leader] must also be a member of the revolutionary [Assembly of] Experts, remain revolutionary and continue on the path of the Revolution so he can act efficiently in regard to the duties that he has.”

The Friday prayer of Tabriz referred to the characteristics that the future chairman of the Assembly of Experts must have, saying that it is essential that the majority of the members of the Assembly be revolutionary – just as Ayatollah Khamenei has commanded.

Ayatollah Mojtahed-Shabestari added, “Undoubtedly, in the election of the chairman of the Assembly of Experts, such inviduals will be elected and no foreign influences will interfere in their decision. We are hopeful, and God-willing, that which is in the interest of Islam and the Islamic Revolution will transpire and the blood of the martyrs will be protected.”

The term of the fifth Assembly of Experts will begin on May 27, 2016 and will serve until 2024. One of first duties that the 88-member Assembly has is to elect a chairman.