Assembly of Experts
Role and Composition
The Assembly of Experts (Majles-e Khobregan) is an 88-member body of Islamic scholars (clerics) elected directly by Iranian voters every eight years. It is constitutionally mandated to: (1) select the Supreme Leader, (2) supervise the Supreme Leader's performance, and (3) remove the Supreme Leader if he is found incapable or deviates from Islamic law. In practice, the Assembly has never exercised its supervisory or removal powers — it functions largely as a legitimating body. Candidates must be vetted by the Guardian Council (itself appointed partly by the Supreme Leader), creating a circularity that insulates the office from genuine oversight.
- The Assembly of Experts was established under Article 107 of Iran's 1979 Constitution.
- Members must be qualified Islamic jurists; they are elected by popular vote but candidates are pre-screened.
- The Guardian Council (12 members: 6 Islamic jurists appointed by the Supreme Leader + 6 jurists nominated by the judiciary chief and approved by Parliament) vets all candidates for all elections, including Assembly of Experts elections.
- The 2026 succession election (3–8 March) was conducted under exceptional circumstances and under reported pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
- Mojtaba Khamenei (born 1969) was designated third Supreme Leader — the first succession not involving Khomeini's direct legacy.
● Tracked since March 01, 2026 · last seen July 04, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes