Rafsanjani, born on August 25, 1934, played an influential role both during anti-Shah struggles before the victory of the Islamic Revolutionand afterwards through various stages of the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
He served in various positions following the Islamic Revolution’s victory in 1979 under the wise leadership of Imam Khomeini.
The veteran politician was also a key figure during the eight years of Iraq’s imposed war on Iran (1980-88), serving as substitute to commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
He was the fourth president of the Islamic Republic, serving from 1989 to 1997.
Rafsanjani, Born on August 25, 1934, the influential Iranian politician and writer, 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.
He assumed office as the Chairman of the Expediency Council in 1989.
Ayatollah Rafsanjani also left several theological and scholarly works in various fields including the Quranic interpretation.
The former Iranian president was admitted to a hospital in northern Tehran on Sunday after having an acute heart attack. The funeral for Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani will be held in Tehran on Tuesday.
Head of Tehran’s Shohada Hospital has declared heart arrest as the cause of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani’s passing away.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani attended the hospital where Ayatollah Rafsanjani was hospitalized, undergoing treatment.
World leaders and many Iranian officials and state organs have offered their condolences over the passing away of Ayatollah Rafsanjani.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has offered his condolences over the passing away of Chairman of the Expediency Council. In his message on Sunday, Ayatollah Khamenei expressed grief over the sudden demise of an old friend, comrade and ally during the struggles for the 1979 Islamic Revolution and close colleague during the post-Islamic Revolution period.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, for his part, expressed his condolences to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and Iranian nation, particularly Ayatollah Rafsanjani’s family. He said the late cleric always made great efforts in carrying out his sensitive and crucial responsibilities and played a prominent and influential role in managing the country’s economic and social affairs as well as the complicated and difficult foreign policy of the Islamic Republic.
Ayatollah Seyyed Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of late founder of the Islamic Republic has also issued a condolence message on the occasion of passing away of the former president.