In Competition with Sadegh Larijani, Raisi Elected as Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of Experts

Ibrahim Raisi, just days after his official appointment as head of the judiciary, outperformed Sadegh Larijani in the Assembly of Experts session on Tuesday, being elected as the first deputy speaker with 42 votes. In the same session, Ahmad Jannati, the head of the Assembly, referred to the Supreme Leader's designation of the president as the commander of the 'economic war' and urged him to announce his plans to combat the issues. According to Fars News Agency, in contrast, Sadegh Larijani, the former head of the judiciary, received 27 votes, while Ayatollah Fazel Golpayegani (Mohammad Hassan Zali) garnered only five votes. Three votes were also abstained and invalid. Previously, Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi was the first deputy speaker of the Assembly of Experts, who passed away on December 24. On Tuesday, March 10, the introduction ceremony for Mr. Raisi as the head of the judiciary was held. Ibrahim Raisi, who was appointed by the Supreme Leader on March 7, is subject to EU human rights sanctions and was a member of a four-person committee that decided on the execution of political prisoners in 1988. More than 100 political and civil activists have described Ibrahim Raisi's appointment as 'salting the wounds of the survivors of the 1988 massacre,' 'a reward for criminals,' and 'another clear example of the Supreme Leader's indifference and stubbornness' towards domestic and international public opinion. In contrast, Ahmad Jannati, in the opening of the Assembly session, said, 'We must kiss the hand of the leader who has chosen our very dear and esteemed brother Mr. Raisi.' He added, 'The infidels and counter-revolutionaries are angry about Mr. Raisi's appointment today, and this is a sign that this appointment is appropriate and shows that a power has emerged in the judiciary that can fight against corrupt individuals and counter-revolutionary groups.' 200 representatives of the Assembly welcomed Ibrahim Raisi's appointment as head of the judiciary, and Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, also described Mr. Raisi's appointment as a sign of 'worthy management' in his previous responsibilities in that branch. While Hassan Rouhani congratulates Raisi, he had previously stated in one of his election campaigns in Hamadan that people would not vote for those who have only known 'execution and prison' for 38 years. Meanwhile, some reformists have expressed hope for 'positive changes' during Mr. Raisi's presidency. Ibrahim Raisi, 57, was born in Mashhad. He began working as a deputy prosecutor in Karaj in 1980 at the age of 20 and was later appointed as the prosecutor of that city. Other previous positions include Tehran's prosecutor, head of the General Inspection Organization, and first deputy of the judiciary. He has also been appointed as the special prosecutor for the clergy since 2012 by the Supreme Leader. In addition to his judicial positions, Mr. Raisi has been a member of the conservative 'Society of Combatant Clergy' since 1997. 'People who are struggling for meat and livelihood will still come to the scene,' Ahmad Jannati also said in his remarks on Tuesday. The U.S. exit from the JCPOA and the return of sanctions against Tehran have led to the devaluation of the national currency and the bankruptcy of many Iranian industries in recent months, with people even facing shortages of baby diapers for a time. Additionally, with the recent increase in the prices of red meat and chicken, reports have emerged about the formation of long queues for purchasing government-subsidized meat and also clashes in some of these queues. Mr. Jannati also referred to the Supreme Leader's designation of the president as the commander of the 'economic war' and urged him to announce his plans to combat the problems. He added, 'Unfortunately, some people in the country have caused currency chaos and created rent-seeking, causing problems for the country.' Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, stated on Wednesday, March 6, that the Supreme Leader has appointed him as the 'commander of the economic war' and ordered 'the other two branches to support the government with all their might and within the framework of regulations.' Islamic Republic officials refer to U.S. sanctions as 'economic war.'