Rafsanjani's death strikes major blow for Iran's reformers
- 7 years ago
In the West Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was widely regarded as a reformer. For many Iranians, he was the disciple of Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, and the one who took responsibility for its crimes.
President of parliament since 1980, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Iranian armies in 1988 by Khomeini, and used his role to impose the ceasefire in the Iran-Iraq war which had lasted 8 years.
After the Ayatollah’s death in 1989, he was elected president of the Islamic Republic and remained in office until 1997. His program was then a mixture of openness and reforms – he pushed for rapprochement with the West, even with the “big Satan” – the USA.
He couldn’t run for another in 1997 so he threw his weight behind
another reformer, Mohammad Khatani, who remained in office until 2005.
Rafsanjani then devoted himself to the Expediency Council, a powerful body that adjudicates disputes over legislation, and held the post until his death.
He ran for the presidency again in 2005 and was popular among many young Iranians. Such support saw him win the first round but he was comfortably beaten in the second by the ultra-conservative mayor of Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
It was the heaviest defeat in his career and signaled the demise of his political influence.
Ahmadinejad’s re-election in 2009 didn’t sit well at all with Iran’s reformers. Several boycotted the ceremony, including Rafsanjani. Shortly afterwards the so-called “twitter revolution” sparked a wave of protests against Ahmadinejad’s re-election; the government’s response was short and sharp. 150 people died and Iran is still reeling from the fall-out from the demonstrations.
For supporting the movement and openly criticising Ahmadinejad, especially vis-a-vis the West and sanctions imposed on the country, Rajsandjani, became a symbol for the reformers but lost his position as leader of the Assembly of Experts as hardline rivals called for his head.
Unable to stand in 2013 due to his age, Rafsanjani threw his weight behind the current president Hassan Rouhani and was rewarded with an advisory role.
His sudden death deprives moderates of their most influential supporter.
President of parliament since 1980, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Iranian armies in 1988 by Khomeini, and used his role to impose the ceasefire in the Iran-Iraq war which had lasted 8 years.
After the Ayatollah’s death in 1989, he was elected president of the Islamic Republic and remained in office until 1997. His program was then a mixture of openness and reforms – he pushed for rapprochement with the West, even with the “big Satan” – the USA.
He couldn’t run for another in 1997 so he threw his weight behind
another reformer, Mohammad Khatani, who remained in office until 2005.
Rafsanjani then devoted himself to the Expediency Council, a powerful body that adjudicates disputes over legislation, and held the post until his death.
He ran for the presidency again in 2005 and was popular among many young Iranians. Such support saw him win the first round but he was comfortably beaten in the second by the ultra-conservative mayor of Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
It was the heaviest defeat in his career and signaled the demise of his political influence.
Ahmadinejad’s re-election in 2009 didn’t sit well at all with Iran’s reformers. Several boycotted the ceremony, including Rafsanjani. Shortly afterwards the so-called “twitter revolution” sparked a wave of protests against Ahmadinejad’s re-election; the government’s response was short and sharp. 150 people died and Iran is still reeling from the fall-out from the demonstrations.
For supporting the movement and openly criticising Ahmadinejad, especially vis-a-vis the West and sanctions imposed on the country, Rajsandjani, became a symbol for the reformers but lost his position as leader of the Assembly of Experts as hardline rivals called for his head.
Unable to stand in 2013 due to his age, Rafsanjani threw his weight behind the current president Hassan Rouhani and was rewarded with an advisory role.
His sudden death deprives moderates of their most influential supporter.