Objective-oriented Approach to the Study of the Structural Requirements of the Assembly of Experts for the Leadership (Council of Experts)

Regarding the fact that the Islamic Government in Iran has not enjoyed longstanding executive experience, it seems to be necessary to study the structural requirements of the Assembly of Experts for the Leadership. The articles 107 and 109 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran make clear that, on the whole, the functions of the Experts are important as far as the Islamic system is concerned. Identifying the functions of the Experts in the field of electing and declaring the Supreme Leader, the mentioned articles in the Costitution show how significant and extensive the concept of expertise is in the Constitution. “Supervising”, which, in fact, finds its real, or rather, legal and jurisprudential expression in monitoring the current leader to make sure he continues to meet all the criteria listed in the Constitution, has a close relationship with the functional nature of the Experts and with the explanation of the position of the Experts, as they have been authorized by the laws to vet candidates for ijtihÁd proficiency, as well as the Muslim Guardian Jurist (wali-e faqih) in the Islamic system. The authority of the Assembly of Experts for the leadership is that of a suspensive (taÞliqÐ) kind. Likewise, the establishment of the think tank as suggested to the Assembly of Experts by the Grand Leader, AyatullÁh Khamenei, and the explanation of the major and significant approaches, including approaches to the fundamental issues of the government and the nation as well as the encouragements to this institution to play a more active and strategic role, are among the cases which help to explain the adopted approach to the issues in this article. In this connection, the writer tries to cast light on some points which make clear the objectives the Assembly of Experts follows to come closer to its Islamic foundations as much as possible.