Assembly of Experts for Leadership, Religious governing body in Tehran and Qom, Iran
The Assembly of Experts for Leadership is a formal body of religious scholars based in Tehran and Qom, Iran. Its main responsibilities are selecting and overseeing the country's Supreme Leader.
The assembly was established after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to create a formal link between Islamic law and government. In 1989, it played a key role by selecting Ayatollah Khamenei as Supreme Leader following the death of Ayatollah Khomeini.
The assembly meets primarily in Qom, a city known across Iran for its religious schools and scholars. Walking through Qom, visitors quickly notice how closely religion and public life are woven together there.
Sessions are not open to the public, and the buildings are used strictly for official purposes. Visiting Tehran or Qom gives a broader sense of the weight this institution carries in both cities.
Although the assembly holds the constitutional power to dismiss the Supreme Leader, it has never done so in its entire history. Its building in Qom was also damaged during a conflict at some point, a detail that reflects how politically charged its physical presence can be.
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