Response to Hashemi's Statements on the 2013 Elections: 'The Guardian Council's Opinion is Independent'

The spokesman for the Guardian Council commented on recent remarks by Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani regarding the role of the former Minister of Intelligence in his disqualification by the council, stating that the Guardian Council takes expert opinions from various sectors but its opinion is 'independent.' Abbasali Kadkhodai, the spokesman, rejected Hashemi's statements in an interview with Mizan, the official news agency of the judiciary, adding that 'the opinion of the Guardian Council is an independent opinion and solely the opinion of its members.' According to Kadkhodai, despite the 'independence of opinion' of the Guardian Council, 'expert opinions are taken from various sectors.' The spokesman also noted that 'this matter is not a hidden issue... the situation is not as it has been presented.' However, Kadkhodai did not explain how the 'situation' occurred; previously, during the 2013 elections, he had implicitly confirmed Hashemi's claims regarding the involvement of security officials in his disqualification. The head of the Expediency Discernment Council explained that Heydar Moslehi, the former Minister of Intelligence, played a direct role in his disqualification by the Guardian Council in the 2013 presidential elections. He stated, 'The Minister of Intelligence at the time [Heydar Moslehi] went to the Guardian Council during the qualification review and said that with the popularity that is increasing day by day, he [Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani] would come with an unprecedented vote and would unravel all our ten-year plans.' Hashemi entered the race for the presidential elections at the last moments of registration but was ultimately disqualified by the Guardian Council due to what was cited as 'old age.' At that time, Hashemi had addressed how he was disqualified by the Guardian Council and mentioned the role of a senior security official in his disqualification. He stated that 'a senior security official, contrary to custom and law, personally attended the qualification review meeting at the Guardian Council, which was initially protested by some members of the Guardian Council, and ultimately told the members that Hashemi's presence in the elections could lead to a decisive victory with a high vote from the people, which is not compatible with their ways, and thus convinced the council to vote against my qualification under the pretext of my physical condition.' A day later, Abbasali Kadkhodai, in his capacity as spokesman for the Guardian Council, implicitly confirmed the presence of security officials in the council during its decision-making process regarding Hashemi Rafsanjani's qualification review. Heydar Moslehi, the Minister of Intelligence under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, had accused Hashemi of involvement in the '2009 sedition' on the eve of the 2013 presidential elections and amid reports of Hashemi Rafsanjani's potential candidacy.