TEHRAN – The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, has reappointed three senior faqihs (experts in Islamic Law) to the Guardian Council.

According to a Tuesday statement from the Leader’s Public Relations Office, the decree retains Ayatollahs Alireza Arafi, Ahmad Khatami, and Ahmad Hosseini-Khorasani as the council’s clerical members, underscoring continuity in Iran’s constitutional oversight body.

The reappointments followed formal correspondence from Guardian Council Secretary Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati noting the imminent conclusion of the members’ terms.

According to the Leader’s Public Relations Office, Ayatollah Khamenei responded: "With greetings, I reappoint the respected named individuals as members of the Guardian Council’s jurists."

This 12-member council, comprising six Islamic jurists appointed by the Leader and six civil law experts nominated by the judiciary and approved by parliament, serves as Iran’s constitutional safeguard.

It holds three critical mandates: legislative review (vetoing laws incompatible with Islamic principles or the constitution), candidate vetting for all national elections, and electoral supervision.

By ensuring all state actions align with Iran’s Islamic and constitutional foundations, the council wields considerable power and influence in national governance.

Profiles of reappointed faqihs

- Alireza Arafi: Head of Iran’s seminaries (hawzas) and Qom’s Friday prayer imam. He brings scholarly depth to constitutional interpretation and serves as second deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts, representing Tehran.

- Ahmad Khatami: A prominent Tehran Friday prayer imam noted for his principled stances on Islamic jurisprudence. He represents Kerman province in the Assembly of Experts.

- Ahmad Hosseini-Khorasani: A senior Qom-based cleric with expertise in aligning theological tenets with contemporary legal frameworks. He represents Razavi Khorasan province in the Assembly of Experts.