The Expediency Council; Absentees Who Defy the Leader's Order

Since Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi has taken the presidency of the Expediency Council, President Hassan Rouhani has not attended the meetings of this body, and Sadeq Larijani and Ali Larijani, heads of the judiciary and parliament, have been rarely seen in the council's building. In contrast, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the most critical president of Iran regarding the performance and position of the Expediency Council, has changed his approach and, especially with Shahroudi's rise to power, has become a member whose presence attracts attention. The absence of the heads of the three branches in the sessions of this advisory body of the Supreme Leader and a decision-making institution is unprecedented, especially since all members of this body are appointed by Ayatollah Khamenei, and their absence can be seen as a disregard for the Leader's order. However, the reasons for each of their absences vary. Hassan Rouhani did not regularly attend meetings during Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's presidency, but since Rafsanjani's death and Shahroudi's presidency, he has not set foot in the meeting rooms. Although some conservative media have attributed the reason to the governments' disputes with this institution over interference in executive matters, the issue is more complex. Hessameddin Ashna, Rouhani's media advisor, stated last year on his Telegram channel that the presidency of the Expediency Council is a right of the presidents. After the establishment of this body in 1987, its presidency was held by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the then president. However, after Rafsanjani's presidency ended, this practice changed, and given his position and role in political relations, the presidency of the council was assigned to him by the Supreme Leader's decree, and no one opposed it. However, after 20 years and the beginning of changes in the structure of the Expediency Council, according to Ashna, it is time for the presidency to remain with the president, as in the first two terms, to stabilize the executive branch's centrality in executive policies and prevent the sudden emergence of another power. This figure close to Rouhani believes that when presidents participate in a legal assembly under their legal title, they cannot accept someone else's presidency over it. The position and management style of Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi have also influenced this decision. He is a former head of the judiciary and a close and trusted figure of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with a clear political record. Shahroudi's inability to persuade the heads of the branches has led to their continued absence in the council's meetings. Unlike Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who had a balancing role among factions, Shahroudi lacks such charisma. His illness, which led to the cancellation of several Expediency Council meetings due to his hospitalization abroad, has further overshadowed his role as the head of this body. Additionally, the inclusion of individuals in the seventh council, such as Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Ebrahim Raisi, and Ahmad Tavakoli for the first time, has effectively increased the weight of political groups in favor of the faction close to the top of the power pyramid. As a result, if Shahroudi has any will to maintain balance in his oversight, he will face a difficult task. An example of this is the continued absence of the heads of the branches in the council meetings and the inability of the presidency to persuade them to attend the sessions. Even as conservative media have reported, Sadeq and Ali Larijani have also refused to attend the Expediency Council regularly due to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presence. The former president has publicly criticized the Larijani brothers in several statements and in two letters to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, claiming that they have inflicted 'irreparable damage to the trust of the people, the revolution, the parliament, and the judiciary.' He stated in a speech on December 19 that Sadeq Larijani is unqualified and illegitimate due to repeated violations of the constitution and should resign. In contrast to his presidency, Ahmadinejad is now a regular attendee of the council's meetings. Especially after the arrest of his close associates, Ahmadinejad has taken a strong stance against the pillars of the Islamic Republic and the institutions under Ayatollah Khamenei, warning that the Leader and other officials must 'explain their actions to the people' and 'convince them.' Such unprecedented remarks have prompted reactions from several other members of the Expediency Council, and according to the newspaper Jomhouri Eslami, calls for his dismissal and legal action against him have been raised. However, Ahmadinejad remains a legitimate member of the Expediency Council by the decree of the Supreme Leader. Although he considered the Expediency Council an illegal body during his presidency, he now uses this center as the only place to participate in the country's political structure. Another reason could be his closeness to Ayatollah Hashemi Shahroudi, which may protect him from criticism under his support. Despite his harsh criticisms of the Iranian judiciary, Ahmadinejad exempts Shahroudi's presidency from this criticism and has even stated that his government had close cooperation with the judiciary at that time. Conversely, Shahroudi has not yet taken a stance against Ahmadinejad and his affiliated faction. In this situation, the Expediency Council has lost its previous weight and status and has become a retreat for those close to the power center and officials retired from their responsibilities.