Leader Extends Condolences on Demise of Top Cleric

Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei offered his condolences on the demise of Expediency Council Chairman Ayatollah Seyyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, who passed away on Monday at the age of 70 after months of ill health.
In his message on Tuesday, Ayatollah Khamenei described the senior cleric as “a great teacher of theology” and “a faithful official of the Islamic Republic system”. 
The Leader also hailed Ayatollah Shahroudi as a “competent” member of the Guardians Council and a “successful” head of Expediency Council, his official website reported.
Other senior officials, including President Hassan Rouhani, also issued messages on Tuesday to extend their condolences. 
The Leader is to lead the funeral prayer for Ayatollah Shahroudi as part of a procession in Tehran on Wednesday morning. The burial ceremony and a memorial service are to be held in the holy city of Qom later in the day.
The Cabinet has declared Wednesday a day of mourning across the country. 
The prominent religious and political figure succumbed to renal and intestinal malfunctions at Tehran’s Khatam al-Anbia Hospital.

Long Years of Service 

During his lifetime, Ayatollah Shahroudi served in several key positions in the Islamic Republic.
He was born in 1948 in the Iraqi city of Najaf, which has hosted many Muslim scholars.
In Iraq, Ayatollah Shahroudi attended classes held by the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini.
He fought against the dictatorial rule of Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and was jailed and tortured by his forces.
Ayatollah Shahroudi traveled to Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to serve as an intermediary between Imam Khomeini and Iraqi scholars and leaders.
He took the helm of Expediency Council in 2017 to succeed late Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. The Expediency Council is mainly responsible for arbitrating between the Iranian Parliament and the Guardians Council, which itself supervises the parliament.
Ayatollah Shahroudi also served as judiciary chief for 10 years. His efforts to speed up due processes and establish close contact with the ordinary people were among his notable achievements.
The senior cleric was also a member and deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts, which elects and oversees the performance of the Leader of Islamic Revolution.
He had been a member of the Guardians Council for years as well.
Ayatollah Shahroudi published numerous books and articles in various fields, including Islamic jurisprudence and law. As a religious scholar and teacher, he was well known for his precise reasoning and robust approaches.