TEHRAN - The 5th Assembly of Experts kicked off on Tuesday morning with new members in attendance.

On the occasion, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei penned an opening message, saying the new assembly has the mission to “carefully and comprehensively guard the Islamic and revolutionary identity of the ruling establishment and direct intertwined apparatuses of the establishment toward lofty and sublime goals.”
The Leader also outlined four key responsibilities of the influential body as follows: “Getting to know the status of the Islamic Revolution in the contemporary world, paying heed to the enticing phenomenon of religious democracy as standing among different governance approaches in which either spirituality and religion, people or both have been victimized, paying heed to unique role of faith and beliefs originating from Islamic teachings in people’s choices, and paying heed to the impact of individual and political piety of the Leader on maintaining people’s trust and on the ruling establishment’s strength and stability.”
In the morning session, Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati was elected as the chairman of the body of the 88-member assembly with 51 votes against two other contenders, namely former Judiciary chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Shahroudi and another prominent cleric Ayatollah Ehrahim Amini.
AK/PA