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Bani-Sadr on the New Video of the Assembly of Experts Meeting: The Regime Has Lost Its Cohesion

Jan 26, 2026 January 26, 2026 1 min read 📰 Radio Farda
📋 Key Takeaway

A video from a 1989 Assembly of Experts meeting reveals Ali Khamenei expressing doubts about his leadership suitability. Abolhassan Bani-Sadr argues that the video's release shows the regime's internal disarray and that Khamenei's rise to leadership was manipulated. This highlights ongoing tensions within Iran's political structure.

🔍 Quick Context Guide
💡 Bottom Line: The release of this video underscores significant internal discord within Iran's ruling elite.

👥 Key Players

Ali Khamenei MENTIONED
Supreme Leader of Iran
"As the Supreme Leader, Khamenei holds the highest authority in Iran, influencing all branches of government and the military."
Abolhassan Bani-Sadr MENTIONED
First President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
"Bani-Sadr's insights provide historical context and critique of the current regime, reflecting dissenting views from within Iran's political history."
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani MENTIONED
Former President and influential political figure
"Rafsanjani played a key role in the political landscape of Iran, particularly in the early years of the Islamic Republic, and is often associated with the consolidation of Khamenei's power."

📰 What Happened

A video from a 1989 Assembly of Experts meeting has surfaced, showing Ali Khamenei expressing doubts about his leadership capabilities. Bani-Sadr claims this indicates a lack of cohesion within the regime and suggests Khamenei's rise to power was manipulated.

  • The video is from a closed session discussing Khamenei's election as leader.
  • Bani-Sadr argues that the regime's internal disarray is evident from the video's content.

💡 Why It Matters

🇮🇷 For Iran: The video's release could exacerbate existing divisions within the Iranian leadership and challenge Khamenei's legitimacy.
🌍 Regional: Internal instability in Iran could affect regional dynamics, particularly in relation to neighboring countries and groups influenced by Iran.
🌐 International: Western nations may view this as a sign of weakening authority in Iran, potentially impacting diplomatic relations and negotiations.

📚 Background

The Assembly of Experts is a powerful body responsible for appointing and overseeing the Supreme Leader, making its discussions critical to Iran's political landscape. Khamenei's leadership has been a subject of scrutiny, especially amid ongoing protests and calls for reform.

Iran's political structure Protests against the Iranian government
📡 Source: OPPOSITION
📊 Confidence: 70%
Bani-Sadr's comments reflect an opposition perspective, which may emphasize criticism of the current regime and its leaders.

A video file from a closed session of the Assembly of Experts for the election of Ali Khamenei as the leader of the Islamic Republic has recently been published online. In this video, which pertains to the extraordinary session of the Assembly of Experts on June 4, 1989, Ali Khamenei states, "One must weep for the Islamic community that the possibility of someone like me becoming a leader is raised," and elsewhere he says, "I truly am not worthy of this position." Abolhassan Bani-Sadr, the first President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in an interview I had with him, said that the release of this tape indicates that "the regime has completely lost its internal cohesion" and suggests that "the process of making him a leader was a fabricated one" orchestrated by Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

🌐

Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →

Translation confidence: 85%

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