Iran: Khamenei prepares his faction for inner face-offs

Mullah Janati

90-year-old Mullah Ahmad Janati appointed as Assembly of Experts chief

Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei has been forced to resort to using very old elements of his faction to rein in his rivals and prevent Iranian president Hassan Rouhani and former president Akbar Rafsanjani from gaining further influence.

Khamenei’s faction has appointed Janati, now most probably in his final days, as chief of the Assembly of Experts. Janati is 90 years old and also chairs the Guardian Council, is a member of the Expediency Council, the so-called Cultural Revolution Council and a number of other state bodies.

Mullah Janati apparently received 51 of the 86 votes and has been appointed as assembly chief for a two-year period. However, the truth is that Khamenei was in desperate need to place Janati in this position in his struggle against the Rafsanjani faction in a power struggle that is enraging his regime at the very top brass. Khamenei needs to maintain his control and authority.

It is worth noting that Mullah Janati was at the bottom of the list of elected members from Tehran, and Khamenei had him brought on board for this very purpose.

Mullahs Movahedi Kermani and Hashemi Shahroudi were appointed as first and second deputies, respectively. Mullah Sadegh Larijani, now heading Khamenei’s so-called judiciary system, was not elected as an Assembly deputy chief.