SAEDNEWS: Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has renewed the mandates of three veteran Islamic jurists on Iran’s powerful Guardian Council, reinforcing the constitutional body’s clerical continuity.
According to Saed News, on July 15, the Office of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution announced Ayatollah Khamenei’s decree reappointing Ayatollahs Alireza Arafi, Ahmad Khatami and Ahmad Hosseini‑Khorasani as the Guardian Council’s clerical members. The move, following a formal request from Council Secretary Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, ensures the retention of senior faqihs whose terms were set to expire.
The Guardian Council, a 12‑member constitutional safeguard, comprises six Islamic jurists appointed by the Leader and six legal experts nominated by the judiciary and approved by parliament. Empowered to vet election candidates, veto legislation that contravenes Islamic or constitutional principles, and supervise all national polls, the Council plays a decisive role in shaping Iran’s political landscape.
Alireza Arafi, head of Qom’s seminaries and Friday prayer imam, brings scholarly gravitas and serves as second deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts. Ahmad Khatami, a prominent Tehran prayer leader and Assembly representative for Kerman, is known for his rigorous jurisprudential positions. Ahmad Hosseini‑Khorasani, representing Razavi Khorasan in the Assembly, combines theological expertise with contemporary legal interpretation.
By reaffirming these appointments, Khamenei underscores a preference for ideological consistency amid regional turbulence and domestic reform debates. Observers suggest that maintaining familiar clerical figures within the Council secures the Leader’s influence over legislative oversight and electoral vetting, reinforcing a stable yet tightly controlled political order as Iran navigates external pressures and internal demands for change.
