Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has appointed Sadeq Larijani as the new chairman of the Expediency Discernment Assembly and a member of Guardian Council.
The appointment was made less than a week after the death of the council's former chief Seyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi.
Khamenei said that there is no substitute of the role of Expediency Discernment Assembly in the regime's management, strength, and directness.
On August 14, 2009, Shahroudi left the post of chief justice of service and was succeeded by Larijani. However, Khamenei hinted that Larijani would leave work in the justice field soon.
Leaks by reliable sources informed Iranian media that Prosecutor Mohammad Jafar Montazeri confirmed last week the appointment of Ibrahim Raesi as chairman in place of Larijani.
The Iranian Supreme Leader names the 44 members of the council every five years – the current term terminates in summer 2022.
Eyes are now on the first meeting of the council that will include key rival of Larijani former ex-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who slammed the chief justice of service and called on Khamenei to change the two brothers: Sadeq and Ali Larijani.
Dolate Bahar, a website promoting Ahmadinejad, published on Telegram Sunday the decree of appointing Larijani without commenting on it.
US President Donald Trump administration imposed sanctions on Larijani, among other Iranian officials, in January 2018 over his role in human rights abuses – further, he is also on the EU sanctions list since March 2012.
