IRGC Commander lectures The Assembly of Experts

GVF -- The commander of the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) was present in the seventh session of the Assembly of Experts. The Assembly’s functions include choosing or removing the Supreme Leader and supervising his leadership.

During the meeting, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari attempted to warn the members about what he referred to as “threats” and tried to define the meaning of “national security” for them.

The Assembly of Experts’ is also charged with supervising the bodies and organisations under the leader. One of these bodies is the Revolutionary Guard.

During the meeting, Aziz Jafari who was delivering his speech to the clerical members of the Assembly, stressed on the importance of paying attention to the wishes of the leader.

Following the brutal crackdowns after the stolen 12 June elections, one the Assembly’s members Ayatollah Dastgheib called for an urgent meeting of the Assembly in order to investigate the leadership of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the IRGC which is under his command. However, his calls were met with harsh reactions of some of the members and supporters of the illegitimate government of Ahmadinejad. Ayatollah Dastgheib was under a great deal of pressure to the point where his mosque in the city of Shiraz was forced to close down.

The members of the Assembly of Experts are chosen directly by the people through elections, however, the Guardian Council’s vetting of the candidates means that only members seen by the GC as “suitable” are allowed to take part in elections. The twelve-member GC is also chosen by the leader.

In the most recent session of the Assembly of Experts, the commander of the IRGC gave an “academic” definition of “national security” and explained to members, what he thought were the roots of the post-election unrest.

The IRGC was instrumental in the post-election suppressions against protesters.

 The commander of the Revolutionary Guard also said that “violating the law, weakening the position of the Guardianship of the Jurist [Supreme Leader] and the transformation of the Islamic Revolution are some of the tactics of the sedition both before the election and after the post-election events.”

 After the 12 June presidential election, Mir-Hossein Mousavi warned of the dangers of militarisation and the increasingly destructive role of military officials in the country.