Chairman of the Expediency Council Ayatollah Rafsanjaniwas admitted to a hospital in northern Tehran on Sunday after having an acute heart attack.
He served in various positions following the Islamic Revolution’s victory in 1979. He served as parliament speaker for nine years and then president for two terms.
The veteran politician assumed office as the Chairman of the Expediency Council in 1989.
Born on August 25, 1934, the influential Iranian politician and writer was the fourth president of the Islamic Republic, serving from 1989 to 1997.
Rafsanjani was the head of the Assembly of Experts from 2007 to 2011. The influential cleric was elected chairman of the Iranian parliament in 1980 and served until 1989.
It is worthy to mention that Rafsanjani was considered as right- hand man and confident of Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic. He stood by Imam throughout all thick and thin times of struggle against former dictatorial Pahlavi regime.
Ayatollah Rafsanjani has also left several theological works in various fields including Quranic interpretation.