Severe Criticism from Rafsanjani Against the Guardian Council: 'Who Gave You the Authority to Judge?'

Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, head of the Expediency Discernment Council, criticized the disqualification of Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic, in the Assembly of Experts elections, emphasizing that 'we must let the people choose for themselves.' On Tuesday, February 1, Rafsanjani addressed the members of the Guardian Council, questioning where they derived their authority and who allowed them to judge. The Guardian Council, responsible for overseeing elections in Iran, has drawn significant attention as it has refused to approve the qualifications of many candidates for both the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Assembly of Experts elections. Last week, the council disqualified Hassan Khomeini, who has the support of several senior clerics and religious authorities in Qom, from running in the Assembly of Experts elections. Rafsanjani protested the Guardian Council's behavior, asking, 'Where did you get your qualifications? Who allowed you to sit and judge for the government, parliament, and other places and take power into your hands?' He added, 'Who gave you the authority to have weapons and platforms? Who allowed you to have the prayer platforms and the media? Who gave you these?' Rafsanjani's strong objections come as conservative officials, including judiciary chief Sadegh Larijani, have harshly criticized his support for Hassan Khomeini. Recently, Mohammad Javad Larijani, echoing his brother's sentiments, accused Rafsanjani of allowing reformists to 'exploit' him due to his defeat in the 2005 elections and the remarks made against him in the 2009 elections. He also stated that 'one cannot prove an individual's knowledge and virtue through propaganda.' Previously, Ali Saidi, a representative of the Supreme Leader in the Revolutionary Guards, had alluded to Rafsanjani, saying that someone who 'makes a scholar out of a student' would pose a risk to the revolution if elected head of the Assembly of Experts. Rafsanjani also emphasized that the public should be allowed to choose, as he believes 'public opinion makes fewer mistakes than we do, and if they do make mistakes, they will soon realize and correct them.' He noted that 'the people have become aware and went to the polls without any cost, changing a government that could have led to war.' He stated that 'over the past ten to twelve years, we have fallen into a division that has caused many differences' and added that 'individuals, even clerics who had no role in the revolution, played a part in creating these divisions, leading to real conflicts.' He remarked that 'in this period, a minority that was present at the beginning of the revolution is still obstructing, but although powerful institutions support them, the majority of people do not.' Rafsanjani also pointed out that 'we impose unnecessary restrictions on the people during elections' and criticized the method of vetting candidates. He acknowledged that 'it is not possible for 12,000 people to register for parliament and compete all at once, but the solution is to establish a law before elections stating that those who wish to run must meet certain conditions, including obtaining signatures from some scholars and the public, and their qualifications must be verified by specialists.' He continued, 'We should not allow them to register without having the opportunity to review their files and then say their qualifications have not been confirmed.' He emphasized that such a method is 'not a correct way or approach.' These remarks come after an unprecedented registration of over 12,000 candidates for the elections, with Mohammad Yazdi, head of the Assembly of Experts, and Ahmad Jannati, secretary of the Guardian Council, criticizing the large number of registrations, stating that 'there are other goals behind these registrations.' The secretary of the Guardian Council also noted that the goal of having so many candidates is to create difficulties for the Guardian Council. Rafsanjani supported the policies of President Rouhani's government and the agreements made between the Iranian government and Western countries, stating, 'I hope this balance achieved by the nuclear negotiation team, the guidance and courage of Mr. Rouhani, and the support of the Supreme Leader will reach a proper conclusion.' According to ILNA, Rafsanjani recalled the attacks made by some political factions against the government in recent days, saying, 'Mr. Rouhani has traveled to Europe, and his trip has had many achievements, but this group is spreading poison and claiming that the JCPOA had historical results, while they do not understand what the agreement is.' According to Fars News Agency, Mohammad Reza Naqdi stated on Saturday, February 1, that 'the events of the trips to Rome and France were a dagger to the heart of the resistance economy... and if they continue, we should close the technical universities of the country.' 'Resistance economy' is a term used by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, and his close associates to describe an economy that does not depend on foreign countries. Rafsanjani added, 'Our aviation industry has embarrassed us for years; the aging of our aviation fleet has caused many accidents and delays for our people; our planes were not allowed to land in many places, but we were able to create a new capacity for the country through a proper contract.' Iran and France signed 20 contracts and agreements during President Hassan Rouhani's visit to France on February 1, with the purchase of 118 Airbus aircraft worth $25 billion being one of the most significant contracts. Due to a ban imposed since 1995, Western manufacturers have been prohibited from selling aircraft equipment and spare parts to Iranian companies.