Senior Cleric's Death Opens Up Power Struggle in Iran

One of Iran's most senior clerics died today after a long illness, paving the way for a power struggle within the country's leadership.

The death of Ayatollah Ali Akbar Meshkini, chairman of the powerful experts' assembly, aged 86, from blood and lung disorders, is likely to increase the influence of Hashemi Rafsanjani. Mr Rafsanjani, conservative pragmatist and pillar of the Islamic regime, has emerged as favourite to succeed Mr Meshkini as chairman of the 86-member assembly, which is empowered to choose and remove Iran's supreme leader.

Mr Rafsanjani is almost certain to be challenged by Ayatollah Mohammad-Taghi Mesbah-Yazdi, a radical cleric who is seen as a religious mentor to Iran's Islamist president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Mr Rafsanjani was judged to have staged a successful political comeback from his 2005 presidential election defeat to Mr Ahmadinejad when he received the most votes in last December's elections to the assembly. Around three-quarters of the body's members are loyal to him, leaving him well placed to become its new chairman.

That could increase his leverage with the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with whom Mr Rafsanjani has had numerous disagreements. Mr Rafsanjani favors re-establishing links with the US and a more flexible approach to Iran's nuclear program. Mr Khamenei is widely believed to have sabotaged Mr Rafsanjani's hopes of becoming president by backing Mr Ahmadinejad in the last election.

Eesa Saharkhiz, an analyst, predicted that Mr Khamanei might try to block Mr Rafsanjani again. "The influence of Mr Khamenei will be very important. He may think he would rather have someone else in charge of the assembly," Mr Saharkhiz said.

The assembly was often criticised as toothless under Mr Meshkini's leadership. Despite the supervisory powers guaranteed by Iran's constitution, it never summoned Mr Khamenei to its meetings or asked him to submit reports.

Some analysts have suggested that Mr Rafsanjani could use leadership of the assembly as a springboard to the supreme leader's post. The position is the most powerful in Iranian politics, entitling its holder to the last word on all state matters. However, Mr Rafsanjani has told associates that he favors replacing the current one-man role with a collective leadership of several heavyweight figures.